Stargate Atlantis: Earth and Sky
by Jael Rainer
Summary: AU from Enemy At The Gate. Returning to Pegasus was never going to be easy. With the Wraith still a threat in that galaxy, Homeworld Defense in disarray from the battle, and Atlantis in need of major repairs, is leaving even possible? Or is Earth once again it's home? And what of the aliens that call the city home? Will life and love find a way? Rating subject to change later on.
1. Chapter 1 Resurrection Part 1

**AN:**

Hey guys. This is one of two fics that I'm writing at the moment for this site. But I warn you before hand, I am trying to get my own original story ready for publishing and that is my main focus. So while I will complete this, I have about a million things I'm trying to do at the same time. This one is so late being posted at all because of it and NaNoWriMo last year.

On a more positive note. If you like my writing and think I'm improving as a writer (I hope, I hope.) then you might want to check out the originals that I'm writing. I'm working on a series. The first of them that I'm currently editing is entitled Zugzwang. The second that I'm in the middle of writing is entitled Rubicon. As any of my loyal readers know, I really love double meanings, subtext, and cliffhangers. Hehe. And it shows. I'll keep you up to date on how that's going, and give you any pertinent links, if you wish.

Anyway since I'm writing this in episodes, there will be more than one. But I'm breaking the episodes into smaller acts (Read: chapters) so it's easier for you all to read. The first episode (This one.) is a slow build up before the action. Anyone familiar with the source material will know that the writers left us in a really low spot with no villain and no where to go after Atlantis won the battle over Earth and landed. Yes, I'm ignoring all the books that were written for after the t.v. show ended. I personally felt cheated and betrayed by them so I'm going completely AU after the scene looking out at the bridge. And yes I will address Banks, just not yet.

All normal disclaimers apply. I make no money from this. I'm just playing with the characters. I only own my original characters (Sophie, Luca, their family, any future additions not already in the Stargate cannon, ect.) and the story line itself. Anything that you recognize from the show/books/ movies/ anything owned by MGM and the originators of the entire Stargate 'verse is theirs. If I owned it, Ronon would have been shirtless more often. I mean, HELLO! Jason Momoa is a hansom man. First and last time I say that. Anyway, since I hate repeating myself, this disclaimer applies to any and all chapters I post of this story.

Have fun, hope you enjoy. Constructive criticism and non-flame reviews welcome. If you're just going to be a pain and insulting, I reserve the right to ignore and or delete your communication. Don't hate just cause I have the guts to post. And if you don't like it, feel free to never read this story again.

J. Rainer

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><p><strong>Stargate Atlantis AU Season 6 Episode 1 <strong>

**Resurrection Part 1**

**Atlantis, currently situated in the San Francisco Bay. Commissary.**

John Sheppard had hoped for a quiet day, eating his jello, staring out at the bridge that spanned the view before him as the sun rose. One quiet day that he didn't have a battle raging, paperwork due, scientists screaming about things in what must be a foreign language, the IOA pinning Woolsey and himself in a room and trying to pit them against each other. Turns out Woolsey wasn't so bad, green to command and not used to making decisions on a grand scale but in the end reliable and cagey when it counted, or at least he was before the last year. But a bureaucrat to the core, who knew how to use the system. All in all, he was a decent commander.

It seemed that one day was too much to ask as Rodney and Zelenka were arguing as they came in the almost empty lunchroom. Both filled trays and took seats by him, despite the abundance of seats elsewhere.

"Rodney we need a decent engineer! Not just one that can handle nominal repairs!" Radek pushed his glassed up his nose, glaring at his colleague over one of the sandwiches that was left out for those that couldn't make meal times. "But one that can deal with astro, planetary, and aeronautical engineering on a scale that has never been done before on earth. One that can handle running a department. You and I are too busy to do repairs to the city, find an answer to the power requirements of the city, get all on the labs opened, go on missions off world, deal with the military, do our own research, and prepare for the next disaster. This is the first opportunity we've had to get the city at full capacity and we need to take advantage. As heads of the department, we simply do not have the time!"

Rodney had been uncharacteristically quiet as he unwrapped his sandwich and ate the mound of leftovers he had piled on his tray. "Are you done?" Radek nodded, unwrapping his meal. "I admit that my efforts are better spent elsewhere, but surely you can uh... you know do some extra work. We've handled it so far. We don't need another person gumming up the works. And how did you get the last blue jello, Sheppard?"

"Most of the time when something works we've just gotten lucky! Other times? Rodney, we've been making mistakes because we rush!" The Czech doctor replied, before the colonel had the chance to reply. "It's gotten people killed! If you don't at least consider Doctor McIntyre, I'll go to Woolsey myself and make the recommendation!"

"Sophie McIntyre?" McKay groaned, tossing his spork on his now almost empty tray. "Now that just ruined my appetite."

At this, Sheppard took more notice of their conversation. Anything that put McKay off his food had to be interesting. "Who?"

"The engineer who is in charge of the major rebuild of the city." Radek smiled fondly, before turning back to the acerbic doctor in front of him. "And even you must admit she's ahead of schedule."

"She's only been here a week." Rodney protested. "Of course she is ahead of schedule. We were going to take years. And doesn't she have a son? The IOA would never allow her to leave earth and she wouldn't leave her son even if they did give their approval of her."

Zelenka smirked knowingly, his eyes smiling behind his wire framed glasses. "The IOA had her and her son on a short list for transfer to Atlantis."

**Engineering Bay. Flooded level of the main tower. Between the upper Jumper bay and the control room for the underwater Jumper bay.**

Neon blue light lit the dark water that surrounded the two figures in black wetsuits, their heads and hands covered with heavy welding gear, bubbles dancing about their heads as they held a sheet of metal in place against the ceiling, wedged into one of the flooded air shafts. Only the hiss of the welding torch and the release of air from the masks they wore was heard within the buffering liquid.

The larger figure tapped the smaller one on their neoprene covered shoulder and waited until they turned off the torch in their hands before both lifted the protective welding masks that covered their faces but blinded them to anything but the light of the welder.

Once their eyes adjusted to the light provided by the emergency lights that lined to room, the large one thumped their chest with it's fist, indicating they were low on breathable air and almost into their reserve, and waited for the smaller to acknowledge before jerking their thumb up through the water. The second, smaller one nodded and repeated the motion, saying they would go up as well before pulling from the tight shaft.

Once ready, they both kicked slowly through the water, inspecting the walls and ceiling for damage, bubbles trailing in their wake. Once they reached the ladder, both pulled off their fins and climbed into the chaos that was the hall above the engineering bay.

The smaller figure pulled off their mask and hood, unzipping their wetsuit at the shoulder. "It's not pretty but it'll hold!" She yelled above the noise of saws and grinders, the hood sliding back to reveal the long blond hair, tied back and dripping salt water, of Sophia McIntyre. She quickly unsnapped her bcd and let her partner pull it from her shoulders, the heavy tank clanking against the table a few feet away a moment later while she pulled off her companion's gear.

The second team of divers was gearing up by the ladder, doing their final checks. "Pump out the room. Look for any leaks but especially those pin holes. Be careful! I don't care if we think it's safe. Watch those welds. They blow and the water will cut you to ribbons like razor blades." They nodded with grim, set faces and descended into the water filled chambers.

One of the techs from the science teams that waited in the upper levels, came running up to her and shoved a tablet under her nose, trying to get her attention. "No! I told you! Engineering gets two levels ahead of everyone in each direction at least! Technicians only get onto a level once it's been sealed, checked for leaks and dried! I'm not letting this city sink just because your panties are in a bunch wanting to get down here! And how many times have I said no running!" She waved to one of the many marines that guarded her and her team as they moved through the submerged levels. "I catch one of you down here again and Keller will have more work to do!"

Her team, knowing it wasn't an idle threat turned back to their assignments. The marine glared threateningly as the little scientist scurried from the room. Dr. McIntyre sighed, flipping through the charts that littered her drafting table that stood against one of the only windows that was in the hallway. It may have been neater to have it all on tablet, but with all the moisture it would quickly be reduced to a very expensive paperweight. Paper lasted longer in this environment.

Either way the massive amount of repairs was moving along decently well. This new, larger team was inefficient and not used to her brusk orders but they were talented at least. She hadn't made anyone cry yet so that was a plus. That was a normal for her. Usually on day two, if she was lucky, day one if she really wasn't and it was a tough project.

Sighing, she turned to her chair and the little boy that filled it. Green ear buds filling his tiny ears and his messy curly ash brown hair bobbing as he listened to a lecture that doctor Jackson had created for him on the history of the ancients and the phonetics of their language. He mouthed out the words as he stared at his math homework. Notes and figures were scribbled all over the page in several languages. She saw his marker move to his arm and quickly fished a spare notebook from his backpack, placing it under his hand when he ran out of room on his first. She brushed his hair back from his eyes, and tapped his nose, a smile tugging at her lips when she looked at his small furrowed brow.

"How's your math coming little man?"

"You forgot to factor in the differential. Trying to trip me up mom?"

She kissed his forehead. "I have to do something to keep you on your toes." That was what she got for having a genius prodigy for a son.

"Rookie move, mom." He turned his lecture off and slid it into his pack. "You could always let me at the schematics for the city to make up for it." Eyes lighting up with glee, his little hands wrapped around her fingers. She smirked in answer. "Can't blame me for trying."

"If I knew we were staying on here when Atlantis left earth, I'd say sure little man, I could use your fresh eyes. But if we stay on earth?"

"I know, I know." He nodded, curls bouncing. "I'm too young to sign the official secrets act or be expected to do anything in a dangerous situation but run, hide, and scream for my mom."

She laughed and it was easy to see where the little boy got his expressive eyes. "I think the screaming would make the hiding almost impossible."

"But I can scream so well."

Twin sets of hazel eyes met each other and they stared at each other in unspoken challenge until the little male blinked, and growled, cursing that he never won a staring contest. "Come on Luka, let's get lunch where you can wallow in a chocolate milk and cookie, only after you finish your lunch. Pack up your backpack."

Luka squeaked, clapping his hands while his mom dried off and tied her wetsuit around her waist. "Can I try one of the new fruits that came from the Pegasus? Radek says it tastes like a starfruit and a strawberry." He shoved his books back in his pack and pulled it on, standing in the chair so he was the same height as her.

"Alright monkey. Ready?" When he nodded, she turned around. "Hop on little man." When he did, Sophie turned to the crew. "Crew A, you're on lunch break! You have one hour! B, as soon as they get back you have an hour, the other three crews are posted. There will be one crew at all times, for those of you who are new arrivals, get your crew assignments from Romanov! Each shift is six hours unless otherwise posted. We will work around the clock. Be warned, Romanov and I will work you hard, so be sure you rest well when you're off! Dismissed!"

**Hallway.**

Atlantis was full of noise today. New crew, soldiers, and scientists mixed with the with the old among it's hallways. It reminded her of the crowded markets of the China, India, Egypt, and almost every country but the nearly sterile United States, that she visited on breaks, holidays, and other reasons. They were busy cleaning, repairing, and stocking the city with everything that the expedition might need if and when they redeployed to Pegasus. But there was a rumor that Atlantis was staying, giving the bustle a dark edge. Either way, she wanted to honor the founders of this great space city.

But seeing another galaxy? That would be an amazing adventure. Luka had been packing for weeks. He had been so certain when Ms Shen showed up at their tiny flat in Beijing where she worked for an equally tiny aeronautics firm that specialized in colonizing space, to tell her about the SGC and Atlantis, that he started packing. He had been three at the time. She could remember him toddling around his room, carefully packing his building blocks and books. Even his favorite teddy that he never slept without went into one of the boxes, so he could be sure it wouldn't be lost when they moved. He never got around to packing his clothes, which she found odd, as they never missed the laundry hamper. But somehow he knew, eventually, they would be on Atlantis.

Now they were here. He was certain that it would be permanent. She, being less certain, had only packed what they would need for the weeks it would take to get the hull sealed. The rest could be repaired in route to the next planet, although they would have an issue with supplies for said repairs. As in getting them on the move. Naquadah was hard enough to come by in the Milky way, luckily there was an abundance of Goa'uld ships that the Tok'ra funneled to earth after the wannabe gods were sent packing. She hadn't had a chance to look through the resource database for Pegasus.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she slammed into what felt like a warm brick wall. "Sorry." It grunted as she fell back a step to stay upright.

She looked up... and up... and up... and finally found his dread framed face. His green eyes ran over her bathing suit covered torso and wetsuit encased legs, making her feel undressed and warm at the same time. Very different than the other men when they looked at her like that. They made her feel gross and slimy, in desperate need of a shower. She smiled, her eyes glittering happily. "You can make it up to us if you'd like."

"Us?"

She turned slightly, revealing her clinging son. "Us. Little one's name is Luka. I'm Sophie." She released one of Luka's legs, holding her hand out to shake the giants. "You are?"

"Ronan."

"Join us for lunch?" She blinked, surprised by her own forwardness. "Uh... If you're not busy that is."

He studied her for another moment, glancing at Luka. "I could eat." Not military, he decided. Too soft, too happy. Silver glittered in the helix of her ear. Unruly wisps of hair after escaping from it's bindings, framed her face, curling as they dried. Well defined muscles moved under she skin. But she wasn't on one of the teams. He would have recognized her. Honestly it, how did the humans say it, bugged him a bit. She was... something he didn't quite get.

"Good." If at all possible, her smile grew even wider. "Luka," She addressed the little boy that hung on her back. "Say hi to Ronan."

Luka waved.

"We'll work on that. He's kinda shy around strangers." The corner of the giant's mouth twitched in an almost smile at the little boy. "So lunch?"

The giant nodded, and turned to the left, leading them down the sea of people that seemed to part just to give him room. His long strides ate up the ground quickly, making her almost run to catch up. But the view was good. If she was that type of woman, she would be thinking that his leather pants covered him just right, but she wasn't. Hadn't been for a long time.

Suddenly, he stopped and she nearly ran into him again. But she sidestepped him and knelt to release her son. Taking his hand when she stood, they wove through the crowd. Getting lost in the sea of earthlings. Ronan almost growled when he lost sight of them. The blond, no bigger than Teyla, and little boy melted into the mass that filled the room. But every once in a while he saw the boy's small green backpack with a big lizard on the back.

It still nagged him, as he filled his tray, why she looked familiar. Absolutely sure that he had never met her before, he couldn't understand it. Yes she was blond, like Keller and Melena, but that was the only similarity.

Luka was a very smart five year old. He knew because his mom told him so. But he also knew because adults seemed to be blind. Did his mother really not see the people looking at her? Men always looked at her funny, his mom was either blind, or ignoring them. He was leaning toward the second because of their reaction when they looked down to where her hip, where he was, the look of interest turned to fear and disgust. The new one didn't though... He was curious. Hmmm...

Luka looked around as they neared the end of the chow line. There were certain advantages to being short. He tugged on the wetsuit around his mothers waist. "Mommy. Table." He pointed to the corner of the outer balcony where a group of people were standing to leave.

"Go get it baby. I'll be there in a second."

She laughed as her son wove through the crowd and climbed onto the table just as the pony tailed guy from the SGC tried to sit down. Luka stretched his little body out, covering every inch of the table, holding onto the edges and glaring at the tall scientist as if daring him to try and make him move. Kavanagh, was the man's name, she remembered. Petulant child that he was.

Ronan appeared like a ghost beside the table and glared at the smaller man, moving between them as the foolish male attempted to relocate the child. He tapped the small boy on the shoulder and sat in a chair as the child scrambled over the side, sliding into one right next to him. That was her son, Sophie shook her head, making her way over to the pair, carefully avoiding the milling people around the room.

**End part 1**


	2. Chapter 1 Resurrection Part 2

AN: Wow. I have to admit I am in the most pleasant shock that I have ever felt in my life. The response to the first post of this story has left me in awe. Normally it takes weeks, as in 7 to 12 weeks, to get the response this one got in one. I am stunned. Must be the source material. Either way, I thank you, readers, for your amazing support. I hope I continue to deserve it.

This week has been more than a little crazy and I got no writing done at all which is... beyond annoying. I can't even begin to describe it. Minimal sleep, think 2 hours a night if I'm lucky, and unending stress. Besides that, I think I'm getting sick. So while the first episode is actually completed and you're getting it in installments, which will hopefully allow me enough time to write the next episode. Please keep in mind, concentrating while sick it's not easy at all. So I beg your forgiveness and indulgence if I'm slower for a bit.

I am still editing Zugzwang. But like writing, I was dead in my tracks this week.

Well I hope you like part 2 as much as you did part 1.

Recap:

_Ronan appeared like a ghost beside the table and glared at the smaller man, moving between them as the foolish male attempted to relocate the child. He tapped the small boy on the shoulder and sat in a chair as the child scrambled over the side, sliding into one right next to him. That was her son, Sophie shook her head, making her way over to the pair, carefully avoiding the milling people around the room. _

Part 2:

"Do you never discipline that child, McIntyre?" Kavanagh broke through her thoughts. She looked up quickly, barely keeping her son's glass of juice from tipping. "Or are you so busy spreading for your bosses that you've forgotten you actually have a kid, much less a job. After all you haven't actually done your job."

Sophie watched his mouth carefully as it formed the oddest shapes, not that she was actually paying attention to the sounds and words that came from it. This wasn't the first time she had heard this, from the same man in fact. Her eyes slid over to the child in question as he snuck a french fry from Ronan's tray. He didn't eat it, only stare at it. He had never actually eaten fried food and had no interest in trying it. But it did fascinate him. Ronan glared and stole it back.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"No." She walked past and took the seat on the other side of Luka, ignoring the following Kavanagh until Ronan growled, scaring him away.

Lunch actually passed quietly, but for the random questions she spouted occasionally between bites to be sure Luka actually did his homework. Ronan grunted sometimes when he could tell Luka got the right answer, making the little boy light up like the sun. She had never seen Luka take so quickly to someone they just met. Luka, who had kicked several men in the shin when they shook her hand, had almost crawled on top of the large Satedan. And despite the rumors that he was a violent, temperamental man, the only things he did was brush the child's hair from his mouth when the wind picked it up, and kept eating.

He didn't even react when she slid closer to wipe Luka's watermelon juice covered chin. "Child I swear you're your daddy's son. Can't even eat without getting it all over you."

Ronon's mouth twitched as the little boy looked up at him, taking another bite of the sweet fruit, the juice going everywhere once more. "I got it." He said, beating her to cleaning the tiny face.

"Thanks." She nodded, turning back to her food.

It wasn't until she was finishing her tea that they were joined by a gorgeous woman with a toddler in her arms.

"Hello Ronon." She smiled, taking the seat across from him and almost falling into it. "Torren kept me up all night. Keller says he was exposed to a common earth childhood illness. Something called chicken pox. She said it would last about two weeks even with the shot that she gave him."

Luka wrinkled his nose, whispering as he munched happily on a slice of apple, or what passed for it from the Pegasus galaxy and was currently growing in the plant lab of Atlantis. "Itchy." Sophie tapped her son's lips, then her own, reminding him to be silent, that it was rude to interrupt a conversation that wasn't his own. He nodded, turning back to his food.

Suddenly Teyla looked at the child in Ronon's lap and woman at his side. Noticing them for the first time. She was more tired than she originally thought. "I'm so sorry." The woman's smile remained. "I don't believe I've met you before." She held out her hand and Sophie felt an irrational stab of jealousy before she returned the gesture. "My name is Teyla Emmagan of Athos."

"Sophie McIntyre of Earth."

"Which part?" She asked, genuinely interested in the woman Ronan was willingly spending time with, in public no less. There were rumors of how the ex-runner spent his time. But if they were true, he chose his partners very carefully for their discretion, if nothing else. "I have learned there are many nations among the people of earth. And many tribes and groups in each. I am curious about how you live like that."

Sophie returned the friendly smile, taking her orange from her plate, peeling it slowly. "I'm from North Carolina. The Beaufort and Atlantic Beach area was were I was born. And this little one," she handed Luka a section of orange, then brushed his hair. "Was born in a place called Australia. Outside a Marine base before I was shipped home. His daddy was stationed there."

The little boys eyes grew wide at the mention of his father. "Daddy died." He whispered, beginning to shake. The young engineer reacted almost instantly, pulling her son into the circle of her arms.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset..."

Sophie held up a hand halting her words, tarnished silver glittering dully off her finger. "It was before he was born." She stroked the child's back, rocking him slowly. "He's just nervous around all the new people and reacting to my pain over it."

"Still..." Teyla tried again.

"You know salt water would help..." Sophie interrupted, searching for the name of the toddler that curled into the beautiful woman's side. "Torren's chicken pox. Probably yours, and anyone else not from earth as well. Since I doubt you've been exposed before you'll probably end up catching a case."

"Salt water?"

"Ocean."She pointed to the water around them. "Of course if you'd rather, there are the swimming pools that we just found in the lower levels. Some are for specimens and training on equipment, but there are wading and swimming pools. Filtered of all microorganisms and detritus with no current to fight against, but still ocean."

Her voice had a lilting quality that almost rose and fell with the waves around the city. It was the only reason he was still sitting here after the food was gone. Well that and the heat of her leg that unconsciously pressed against his. And the scent of her hair. Granted the smell of the ocean that was coating her, was all around them, but her hair... It didn't smell like the flowers or fruit or the artificial scents that all the earth personal smelled like. She smelled of the woods Sheppard took him to on one of their visits to earth. Like several of the forests he had taken refuge in over the years. Pine and cedar, of warm campfires, sand, earth, and water. It was imbedded in her skin. It was soothing.

Not that he showed it. It continually surprised him that the humans of the Milky Way didn't have a clue how to read the little expressions that flitted over their own faces, let alone others. How a tiny flick of an eye could spell ambush. How an infinitesimal twitch of a lip could spell pleasure or pain. Or how relaxed he was when he leaned back, stretching his long legs like a cat in the noon day sun. But Teyla knew. She always could. The smile she gave the young mother that sat next to him was full of approval and hope.

"I did not know Atlantis even had such things."

"It was in a flooded section that we raised. Somehow it escaped too much damage, despite being on an outer wall." She said, standing slowly, cradling the now sleeping boy against her hip. "You need access to it and so far only my crew is allowed onto to the level, but if you want I can take you down when I get off shift. It should only be an hour."

"That would be lovely." Teyla smiled wider. Her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Thank you. I believe Kaanan will be done his interview with the IOA, might he join us?"

The young human nodded. "Of course. Who is Kaanan?"

"Her mate." Ronon answered. "Husband."

She looked puzzled. "But I thought..." She pointed to Ronon then back to Teyla.

The former Athosian leader laughed, tossing her hair back over her shoulder with the tiny grabby hands of her son reached for the dark strands. "No. Ronon is my team mate, friend and someone I consider a brother. Not my mate."

Sophie released a theatrical sigh, brushing her forehead, wiping away non-existent sweat. "I already have enough women thinking I'm reducing their prospects with the men on my team simply by existing. I didn't need the first woman outside of my bosses and team that I tried to befriend on a new base to think I was stealing her man."

Teyla almost giggled with glee at the unspoken words, watching Ronon's face as he watched the blond relax. "That is not an issue. Back to this swim. You said we, the ones not from earth would most likely come down with this illness too. Would the salt water help prevent it?"

"No. Nothing could as far as I know. But speed up the time it takes to heal, yes. From two weeks to a couple days, a week tops."

Teyla groaned. "Anything to help. I cannot go two weeks without sleep." Her new friend laughed softly, careful not to wake Luka. "Ronon, will you be joining us?"

They both turned to him, staring unblinkingly, reminding him of a pair of wraith queens, except for the fact that he couldn't kill them, and they weren't trying to kill him. He knew that Teyla could toss him off the balcony with one hand tied behind her back, but Sophie was an unknown. Agree, go swimming, and miss out on kicking the marines around for a while, or kick the marines around. Agree and have Teyla question him the way some of the interrogators from Sateda, the ones who believed in the old ways, would be jealous of, or say no and have her question why he was avoiding it.

Then he turned to the expectant looking blond. Her large, stormy hazel eyes met his and held them without flinching. Something that not many could do until they had known him for a while, had fought with him, and bled with him. And then she smiled, a single dimple forming in the left corner of her mouth, her eyes lighting up until the fairly glittered in the bright sunlight.

Almost without his consent, his mind formed a reply. "Sure. Meet at the gym in an hour?"

"Overflow crew quarters in the north west section level twenty four would be better. Closer anyway. Luka and I are in room twelve." With that, she departed, smiling kindly to her companions. Rocking her sleeping son, she wandered away, Ronon's eyes glued to her back from under his hair. And Teyla smiling from behind her steaming morning tea.

**Woolsey's office**

As a leader, Richard Woolsey had gotten used to making tough decisions, many he didn't like. Beginning with the time his order almost caused the death of his senior medical officer, now he was faced with more decisions. This doctor wasn't qualified enough. That one couldn't be trusted with the highly classified nature of Atlantis. Several refused to sign the gag order. Some the IOA refused.

One, although highly recommended, incredibly qualified, and talented, even the IOA approved. That in itself was shocking. The IOA and SGC agreeing on one person? Unheard of.

He looked again at the file on his tablet. No known ties to the N.I.D. Almost the poster child for hard work according to performance reviews. High commendations for work on the Alpha Site in the Milky Way, and reducing Stargate Command's energy consumption. That was one of the reason's she was on the short list for permanent transfer to Atlantis. But despite all that was in favor of the transfer, he just couldn't sign on the dotted line.

She had a son that would come with her as she refused to leave him with family on earth.

A knock at the door broke him from his revelry, making him almost jump out of his chair, his tablet clattering to the floor. "Come in." He waved to the door. "Ah, Doctor Zelenka. Please come in, have a seat."

"I'm sorry to disturb you Mr. Woolsey." Radek, nervously brushing his hair, crouched like a bird in the low chair opposite the commander of the base. "I was wondering if you have had the chance to go over the transfer chits. I know you're very busy."

Woolsey nodded. "Yes I have." He removed his glasses, plucking the pocket square from the suit he had taken to wearing since they landed on earth and he was in meetings every day. "I'd rather have Romanov. He had no ties to earth. No family. Is just as capable. But most importantly, he doesn't have a son that he would be dragging into a possible battle zone." Slowly, he cleaned the clear glasses, inspecting them for dust before they slid back over his ears. "I just can't in good consciousness sign off on a single, widowed mother coming to another galaxy where she might possibly die a horrible death at the hands of an alien race."

"Romanov would never leave McIntyre's team. Especially to take a job that should go to her." Radek smiled, sliding further into the seat. It would have been a kind smile if it wasn't for the fact that it reminded the commander of a barracuda. "How much of that file have you read, sir?"

"All of it, of course." The answer came quick and sure.

"She currently lives at the SGC, you undoubtedly saw." Zelenka wiped the smile from his face, fading back into the nervous, unassuming Czech scientist that everyone dismissed and ignored because that was where they were comfortable with him. Not realizing that he was a very talented strategist, they let down their guards. Even the great Rodney McKay. "She has been there for almost three years."

"What is your point Doctor?"

"My point is, sir, that they both have survived and thrived in an environment that is frequently attacked, overrun, and retaken by enemies, domestic and alien. Even by the Wraith during the foothold incursion. Both she and her young son have received commendations for bravery during those times, and for what they can do. He may be young, but he is a prodigy."

"But that doesn't mean that here, on Atlantis, is right for them. Let alone safe."

Radek nodded, his eyes turning contemplatively to his hands for a moment. Roughened by the past years on the fabled city, his fingers told the story of his life and the reason the Ancients created this monolithic city. "Then what are we doing in this city? This city," he waved a hand through the air motioning to the surrounding walls, "is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. It was the entire reason we came to this city. Yes, the wraith were unexpected. Yes, it is dangerous. Sophie McIntyre knows what she and her son would be signing up for. But if it is a question of safety, what are any of us doing here?"

"I can't..."

"Talk to her." Radek urged. "Talk to them both."

**Overflow Crew Quarters Hallway just outside the transporter**

Teyla frowned, bouncing Torren on hip. Kaanan had sent his apologies at the last minute, yet again, and so she was alone waiting in the hallway for her teammate. At least Ronon would keep his word and show up. Even if the galaxy was crumbling around them, Ronon always would come through. Ronon and John.

That thought brought a small smile to her face as she looked out a window, still rocking her fussy son, remembering the last mission off world, before Todd and before Atlantis left Pegasus. She had gotten in another argument with Kaanan and been ready for a fight by the time she reached the Gate room. Rodney started complaining almost immediately and she just couldn't handle it. She snapped. Luckily John knew her well enough to hold her back before she did something she'd regret, and Ronon knew her enough to smack Rodney on the back of the head to shut him up. John had picked a wild flower for her that day. It was such a little thing. It probably didn't even mean a thing to him and the petals had wilted then fallen off, but she still saved made her sound like a lovesick fool.

She shook her head, forcing it from her mind. She had Kaanan, who was the father of her child. He had been her best friend for most of her life, but now it just felt like they were growing apart. Especially since they came to earth. He had been so busy soaking up everything that earth had to offer that he barely saw their son, or her. And that hurt, badly, because it wasn't the start of their problems.

The doors to the transporter slid open, pulling her from the building storm of emotions and stresses that just wouldn't go away since the city landed on earth.

"Ronon," she turned smiling to the giant, "I was afraid you had forgotten."


	3. Chapter 1 Resurrection Part 3

A/N:

Hey guys. Still dealing with all the crap from the last AN. But guess what? I am halfway through my content editing of Zugzwang! Granted that was the easy part. I wasn't tired from nonstop writing at the time it was written. But still. I'm counting it as a win.

Once again thank you for your continued support and guidance. I hope I do you proud as a writer. I hope I continue to improve. And here's part three of episode one Resurrection.

Okay I'm tired. I'm beaten. I'm gonna go to bed.

Recap:

_She shook her head, forcing it from her mind. She had Kaanan, who was the father of her child. He had been her best friend for most of her life, but now it just felt like they were growing apart. Especially since they came to earth. He had been so busy soaking up everything that earth had to offer that he barely saw their son, or her. And that hurt, badly, because it wasn't the start of their problems. _

_The doors to the transporter slid open, pulling her from the building storm of emotions and stresses that just wouldn't go away since the city landed on earth. _

"_Ronon," she turned smiling to the giant, "I was afraid you had forgotten."_

Part 3

"Got held up." He grunted, looking around the hall. "No Kaanan?"

"Got held up."

Ronan grunted again. Despite having known him for years, and caring for him like the brother she never had, it was nearly impossible to tell the meaning of one grunt from the next. That was either an I'm hungry grunt, a violence is impending grunt, or a grunt of acknowledgment.

Behind the tall warrior, John emerged from the transporter, a towel hanging over his shoulder... His bare shoulder. Teyla tried not to gulp obviously when her mouth reacted to the picture he presented by salivating like she was starving and sitting at a table full of food with her hands tied behind her. "Hey. I hope you don't mind, I was gonna go surfing but Ronon told me about you all going swimming and invited me along." Ronan glared, folding his arms over his chest. "Okay I invited myself and followed him. Having not met her yet, think the doctor will mind?"

"She seems very polite and kind. I do not believe she will object."

Ronon almost rolled his eyes, moving to Teyla and lifting her child into his arm. His rarely seen tender side showing itself as the small boy took hold of his nose, pulling himself up in the giant man's arms. Brown eyes stared at green unblinkingly. And then just as suddenly as it began, the moment ended when the man released an amused grunt, at least she hoped it was amused, making the child shriek with giggles.

It amazed the adult, just how quickly his entire world kept changing. From beloved only child to Specialist, from wraith victim to runner, from runner with nothing back to a man with a home, people he cared about and something to fight for. Then this small innocent child, something he had only hoped for with Melena, now in his arms. It wasn't his, but belonged to the woman who he took to his heart as a sister, true. But now, here in this city, at least there was hope for the future.

"Are you two done staring at each other?"

John turned to him, a glare darkening his features as Teyla looked out the window quickly, trying not to blush. "So where are we going?" He asked, pulling Torren to his shoulders.

"John you'll get sick." Teyla objected, reaching for her son.

"No I won't." He motioned her to lead the way. "I've already had chickenpox. Can't get it again after the immunity has built up enough."

Ronon sighed, knowing that they would continue discussing it until they reached the door. Teyla wouldn't let it go because she never did when she was tired and Shepperd wouldn't because he liked pushing Teyla when it was least appreciated. Suddenly little Torren yanked on the Colonel's hair and made the man yelp. "Can we go now?" The former Runner asked, taking advantage of the situation.

**Down the hall **

Luka tugged his swim bag from the closet hidden behind the ten million year old art, nearly toppling off the chair he stood on to reach it as his mom pulled on a pair of board shorts over her bikini. "Luka be careful." She warned him running to the en-suite bathroom for her own bag. "You break something, you're headed to the med bay, not swimming!"

"It's heavy!" He growled. His little eyebrows furrowing as he tugged on the strap again. The bag stubbornly stuck fast in the closet.

The door dinged pulling his attention away. Maybe it'd be that really tall guy that had eaten breakfast with them, Luka thought, giving the bag another futile pull. "Someone's at the door!"

"Answer it, will you?" She called back as the door rang again.

He ran over to the door and waved his hand by the door sensor. It slid open with a hiss revealing the three from breakfast, and one more that he had never seen. This one waved. "Hi. I'm John. And you are?"

Luka looked him over from his unlaced and scuffed up boots to his messy hair that currently had to little hands tangled in it, weighing everything he knew about the Atlantis personnel. Military by the way he held himself. What his mom called a Flyboy, from the self confident smile. The smile didn't waver while Luka surveyed him. Hm. Maybe this was an okay place after all. "Mom! Here!"

His mom ran up behind him and looked the group over. Teyla and Ronon in leather. This would not do to swim in. Already thinking ahead as was her habit, Sophie shook her head and tapped her son's shoulder. "Remember those board shorts I... borrowed from your uncles?"

Luka nodded.

"Find them please." Luka skittered back into the room, his mom turning to address the four at her door. "Teyla. Ronan." She nodded to each. "You aren't going to wear that for swimming are you?"

They looked down at their clothes. It was what they often wore to work out at the gym. "Is it not suitable?" Teyla asked.

Sophie jumped happily, clapping her hands in much the same way her son always did when he was excited. "Oh I've always wanted a sister to dress up." Taking their hands, she pulled them through the door. "And you, who I haven't met and really doesn't look like a Kaanan, come in and have a seat! Bring the cute one that's on your shoulders!" As Luka reappeared at her elbow with a stack of shorts in his hands. "Thank you baby." She turned to Ronon and handed him the stack. "Sorry. They'll be a bit big. My brothers are a bit bigger than you."

The man who had introduced himself as John snorted as he look one of the seats that formed the little sitting area. "No one is bigger than Ronon."

"Uncles are." Luka murmured. "Hephaestus, Brokkr, Ilmarinen."

The group looked at the small boy in confusion. "I only got one of those." John mumbled. "Mind explaining?" He asked as, Sophie dug through her clothes for a bathing suit that might fit the more slender female.

Clothes flew over her shoulders from the low drawers, searching for her smallest suit. She knew there was one, but what drawer it was in? That she was having trouble with. "Blacksmith gods." She replied. "My father and brothers are giant blacksmiths. Literally. Much bigger than Ronon." She laughed in triumph, finally finding the small pieces of fabric tucked away in the back. "Here." She handed the chocolate colored fabric to the darker woman. "Go try this on in the bathroom."

Ronon returned, his other clothes hanging over his arm, and her mouth went dry. She hadn't seen muscles like that since her late husband. And brothers, but since when did they count? And father, but that thought was just ew. Pushing that thought aside, her fingers itched to touch them as she forced herself to turn away, coughing to cover the fact that she was just checking him over. "Looks like they fit."

Ronon grunted in reply.

For the first time since he was interested in Jennifer, Ronon felt confusion. Honest, down in his gut confusion. He could tell she was attracted to him, most women on the earth bases were. The unconscious licking of her lips, her pupils widening in unspoken hunger, there was even more. But she didn't acknowledge it, she didn't even allow herself to look at him for a few seconds longer than normal. Jennifer at least blushed. After knowing this one less than a day, he was gonna get a... What did the humans call it? Oh right. A complex. He was going to get a complex if this went on much longer.

Luka went back to his bag and tugged at the strap again. The little boy grunted and strained at the stuck bag, unable to get the leverage needed to free it. Ronon, wanting to laugh only grunted and lifted it out, handing it to the small boy. Luka smiled up at him in thanks.

"Hey Teyla!" John called. "Did you fall in?"

"No." Teyla called back. "But I do not believe I can wear this!"

The only blond in the room, smiled before walking to the door, her hands behind her back holding a wrap. Opening the bathroom door so only she could see inside. "Wow." She murmured. "You're keeping it."

"I couldn't possibly."

"Well that's too bad," Sophie smirked, handing in the wrap. "Cause you're keeping it." She stepped back as the new mother tied the wrap and stepped out.

"Wow." Was all that John could get out. His eyes drinking her in hungrily.

Ronon only grunted in agreement. She was even more beautiful than normal.

**Indoor research and swimming pools **

John had never been to this section of Atlantis. Deep in the bowels of the city, far below the bits of the city that the Asurans and Lanteans had raised in their brief ownership. It was amazing how quickly the repair was going, and that was precisely what he told the young doctor who lead the small group. She simply nodded her thanks and gave all the credit to her teams. It was so unlike the other scientists he had met in the past years.

The former darkness was replaced with light. The dripping ceilings had been replaced and repaired. Burst windows now shone with stained glass. Plants long dead were exchanged with rare vegetation from around the two galaxies that were now being grown and propagated in the plant lab. It was light without the smell of mildew he had expected.

Teyla, shocked at the repaired hallways, asked how the feat was accomplished. Leading to Sophie explaining about underwater welding and giant air balloons that were raising Atlantis inch by inch from floundering in the water. "Why don't you use the technology? The city must have some way to do the job without all this work." She had asked.

"Of course it does." Sophie laughed. "But it's currently underwater. Ironically we can't use those systems without frying the circuitry that controls it. Too much damage. The city was supposed to be protected by the ZPMs and the shield. But without them, the systems that would have pumped them out and kept the lower levels dry, had no power, so they were overrun. So we either try them now and they burn to a crisp until we can't do anything but rip out the conduits and replace them possibly burning the city as well, or work slower and do it right."

By the time they reached the doors, the two women were fast and true friends. Laughing and giggling like schoolgirls. The men trailing in their wake, shaking their heads in wonder. Apparently some things did cross cultures, even galaxies.

But reaching the doors that slid open as Luka ran his hand over the sensor, Teyla gasped. The room glittered. One wall of solid stained glass looked out over the ocean. Swirls of blues, greens, greys, purples, and more. All the colors of water danced through the mosaic. Lit by the sun, the riot of color danced over the floor. On either side of the window, doors that copied the motif led out to the balcony.

Within the room that never seemed to end, a pool that Olympic swimmers would be jealous of lay peacefully. The walls, covered by tiles carefully restored, reflected the water theme until one felt surrounded by it.

Sophie pointed to doors almost hidden in the design of the mosaics. "There, in the reddish seaweed, is the men's changing area and restroom. In the green is the women's. Both have showers. The one in the center, that looks like a giant brain coral, is a kind of sauna." Ronon and Teyla turned to her in question. "Heated steam filled room. Has benches to sit or lay on. And the smaller pool in the curve of the window seems to be a hot tub but much nicer than anything Earth has come up with yet." She smiled before they asked. "Heated bubbly water. The lower levels have the aquatic plant and animals specimens. Some that were thought to be extinct and some that have never been to this planet. We're still straightening them, but they're repaired. Apparently they were for training the ancient version of anything that required work under the water. This one though, was purely for relaxation."

She lay her bag down beside he son's, tossing her towel onto a chair. "Someone from one of my teams are almost always here."

"I've never seen this level." John murmured, still in awe of the room.

"Of course not." She laughed, kicking off her sandals and touching the water with her toe. "The entire place was flooded. Oh someone finally fixed the heating." She backed to the wall, waiting for her son to stand next to her. "Ready?"

"Set." He replied, shucking his dinosaur shirt.

"Go!" They raced forward to the edge of the water, jumping at the last minute and hurtling into the water, pulling themselves into balls just before they hit the surface.

"Duck!" John yelled, shielding Teyla and little Torren from the resultant splash.

Torren clapped his hands, his eyes widening in surprise as his mom moved toward the edge. Teyla had never seen anything even remotely like this, but from John's reaction even he had not seen somewhere as wondrous as this even in all of Atlantis. She crouched down, testing the water on her fingertips as the young scientist and her son swam closer.

"May I?" The blond asked, standing in the shallow water. Her long curls falling over her shoulder and hugging her wet curves. "At least until you come in the water." She smiled warmly at the toddler as he reached for one of the stubborn curls that stuck to her forehead. "It won't be my first time with a little one in a pool, will it Torren?"

Teyla gently placed her son in Sophie's arms and watched as the younger mother carefully sat him on the edge of the pool so only his red spotted feet were in the water. Cupping a hand under the water to fill it, she slowly trickled water over his legs. "How does that feel little one?" She cooed softly, as Teyla slipped into the water beside them. She held one of her hands up, filled with water within the little ones reach and watched as his naturally curious mind made him splash in the small well. "Like that little one? Bet it's making all the itchy spots feel a little better."

Ronan took in the sight of Sophie and Torren, her own son gently paddling beside them, watching carefully as if the smaller boy were his own brother. She was beautiful. And the picture of the three of them made him ache. Looking at the two boys, he could easily imagine they were brothers. Both shared the same coloring, only their eyes were different. Being only just lighter in shade than him, Ronon could easily picture them as his sons. It was only natural, once his mind made that connection, that he pictured the newcomer as their mother. The mother of her son and his, of their children. Adopting her son as his own and having the family he never in his wildest dreams thought he could after the devastation of his home world and Melena's death.

And suddenly, within the space of a single second, Ronon knew. Knew what he wanted from his life. Yes, his life had been focused on the annihilation of the wraith. Yes, he was still focused on that. But as his heart began thundering, not with adrenaline from exertion, no longer was that desire his guiding star.

It made no sense. He knew almost nothing about the woman he watched. He didn't know all of the little things that built a relationship. He didn't know her favorite flower or color or a thousand and one facts that made up the person before him. But having never been an indecisive man, the fact that she was now his center, that his universe now circled the blond, began and ended with her and her son, remained unchanged.

Despite everything against it, he decided, after a half second of thought that he would do something about it. Yes, the thought was sudden. As sudden as it was, it was also equally unchangeable. Ronon made it a point to not let what he couldn't change bother him.

"Hey Shepperd."


	4. Chapter 1 Resurrection Part 4

A/N:

Hey guys. This week has been kinda... Terrible. So writing and editing... shot to kingdom come. Bad week. Maybe I need my Ronon fix. lol! There are never enough good stories.

But I hope you like this next installment. And now we introduce the villains and start really getting into the story.

Recap:

_It made no sense. He knew almost nothing about the woman he watched. He didn't know all of the little things that built a relationship. He didn't know her favorite flower or color or a thousand and one facts that made up the person before him. But having never been an indecisive man, the fact that she was now his center, that his universe now circled the blond, began and ended with her and her son, remained unchanged. _

_Despite everything against it, he decided, after a half second of thought that he would do something about it. Yes, the thought was sudden. As sudden as it was, it was also equally unchangeable. Ronon made it a point to not let what he couldn't change bother him. _

"_Hey Shepperd."_

Part 4

"Yeah." The man in question answered, breaking out of his own revelry concerning his female teammate.

"Remember when you asked what souvenir I wanted from earth?"

"Yeah."

"I just found what I want."He said, a grin slowly creeping over his features. She didn't stand a chance.

**Elsewhere on earth **

Two shadowed figures met in a darkened corner of a bar. It was cliché true, but tried and tested over years. It worked, and it worked well. The loud music pulsed and overshadowed their hushed conversation. The flashing lights hid them in it's obscurity. The throbbing throng of bodies shrouded them in obscurity.

"Is she in?" One figure asked.

The second slowly sipped the wine from the flute in their hand before answering. "Not yet. But it's only a matter of the time. Woolsey is easily led."

"But she isn't."

The second grinned, their teeth glinting white in the low light. "It's only a matter of leverage."

**Days later on Atlantis. Before dawn on the catwalks.**

John was panting for breath. That was the usual thing as he ran through the city with the ex-Runner. He had gotten used to it in the four years they had been covering this ground each morning. He had gotten used to the silence that they moved in, rarely breaking it as they sped along. He had even gotten used to the fact that the giant Satedan was always armed, and watched the hallways and exits like something was hunting them.

What was new was that today, Ronon looked like he was mulling something serious. Rolling it around in his mind until he looked as close to bursting with conversation as he ever would. And Teyla said he never noticed anything.

Not that John could do anything about it. He could barely breathe as it was. Until they stopped, that wasn't likely to change.

Ronon was stewing. For three days, he had tried to catch the attention of the new engineer, only to find that she was almost always busy. Between her son and her work at night, her friendship with Teyla and her quiet ignoring of the same woman's offer to train her in self defense, and the teams of technicians, builders, and other workers that were very nearly constantly around her, there seemed to be a wall around her. Everything seemed to block her off from him. Even the marines that guarded the sections she and her team were working on acted like bars in his way.

Well... not so much the marines. They learned better at their very next training session.

So he had taken to saying rationalizing. After all the security teams had to know about potential weak spots. So it technically speaking wasn't spying on her that drew him to the whatever level Sophie was currently on.

Most often he ended up sitting with Luka. The little boy had quickly gotten used to him and rambled about theories and energy coefficients and a million other things that Ronon had no hope of understanding, but Luka found him a willing audience and so continued talking. At first Ronon had expected to he bored out of his mind, like he was every time McKay opened his mouth. But little Luka was so animated and excited that it was contagious. He still didn't understand, but Luka took the time to carefully explain and never treated the older man like the neanderthal that Rodney did, so he still listened.

It had the added benefit of getting five minutes to watch and interact with the woman he began to feel like he was hunting, with minimal oversight as they walked to dinner or breakfast. But then it was back to her avoiding being alone with him.

John looked at his friend out of the corner of his eye. Watching as his face grew darker and darker with each passing step. He smacked the Satedan's arm, pulling him to a stop. Panting, Sheppard bent over, bracing his hands on his knees. "What's gotten into you?

"Gotten into me?" Ronon asked, taking a drink from the bottle he held.

John nodded, straining to pull in enough air. "Sending six marines to the medics like there's a fire sale on pain killers." Ronon glared in his confusion. "Forget it. Wrong person." He cracked open his water, chugging down water like he had been in a desert for days. "One of them had broken ribs this time. You might want to go easy." The commanding officer stopped for a moment, rethinking exactly what that sounded like. "Well easier on them." He ran a hand through his messy hair then down over his face when the large man didn't reply. "So are you gonna tell me what's going on?"

Ronon only tied his heavy dreads tighter.

"Girl or guy?"

Another gulp of water washed down the large man's throat as the pair began moving again, much slower this time, back to the main section of the city.

"I'm gonna go with it being a girl." Sheppard continued his inquisition. "Since you don't strike me as a male that would be interested in another male."

"You're asking if I'm gay?"Ronon couldn't help the wicked grin that tugged at his lips, watching the smaller man twist.

Leaning back against the wall, John pondered how to answer that question, until his radio went off, thankfully saving them both. He tapped the small headset. "Sheppard."

Woolsey's overly honeyed voice, cultured into its most soothing tones that he only used when stressed to the limit and about to snap, broke over the comms. "Sheppard, I need all the Heads of Staff in the briefing room. Fifteen minutes."

"Be there in ten." John replied, smacking Ronon's arm, pointing across the city in the general direction of the room they had just been summonsed to.

**Nine minutes and fifty two seconds later in the briefing room**

The room was still, not a word being spoken, only the creaking of the new leather chairs and the rustle of paper filled it as people took their seats. Each knowing in the pit of their stomachs that the next few minutes would either make or break the expedition to Pegasus. Either Atlantis would remain on earth or return to the battle against the wraith.

The normally bare room was filled to the brim with people from every branch that had a vested interest in the city's destiny. IOA members, the heads of every department in Atlantis, generals and commanders from every nation that was a part of the Stargate program. In order to preserve the secrecy of the city, anyone who had never been within its walls before had been flown there, blindfolded in jumpers. And to preserve the safety of the city, an electromagnetic pulse just big enough to blanket the city was blasted. Submarines churned through the water just outside the walls, while a jamming blanket was pumping through the city's shield array. Nothing and no one was interrupting this meeting.

Sophie and Romanov had been called in as well. Doctor McIntyre sat in the back corner, sipping what must have been her twentieth glass of sweet tea since the night before when she started her shift. Calm and collected, she leaned back in her chair, sliding her sunglasses down over her eyes. Romanov fidgeted beside her, shaking like a bartender working a martini. His eyes darting around the room to all of the high level brass. This was what made them such a good team. Very little phased her. Be it standing up against a worker three times her size when they got in the mood to challenge authority, or staring down bosses that knew less than they thought they did and had large bank accounts to match their oversized mouths. Where as Romanov could figure out any problem, no matter how large, those same bosses threw at them. He just hated talking.

General Jack O'Neill almost felt like waltzing into the room, just to piss off the annoying people who for some reason always felt the need to disagree with him, and then he spotted his favorite three scientists. One taking her place at the head of the room, just like she normally did. Her expertise and experience demanding the respect of everyone. One pushing up his glasses as he stood against the wall, politely answering all the people that spoke to him, despite the fact that most still treated him like a kid even though it was his efforts alone that unlocked the stargate in the first place. The third was acting like the bored teen aged genius that she was when they first met.

He smacked the third on her shoulder. "How you holding up?" Sophie handed him her tea and waited for him to sip. Over the years this had become his barometer for her. The sweeter the tea, the worse the day. Jack took a sip and almost gagged on the syrup she was calling tea today. "That bad."

A smirk answered him. "Ready to give us our marching orders, oh fearless leader?" She stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, ignoring the stares she received and the medals on his dress uniform until he awkwardly returned her embrace. "Go get 'em papa bear."

He smiled kindly at the kid that had been turning the engineering world on it's ear since Carter plucked her out of a jail cell when she was seventeen. "You too kid. Don't let me down." The blond released him and took her seat again as Jack strode through the crowd to stand before them, his metals and commendations glittering in the light. "Ladies and gentlemen." He addressed the group. "If I can have your attention please. This is not a discussion. This is a notification. You are not allowed to ask questions, or raise objections. You will nod your head, answer when called on, say yes sir, and leave when I tell you when we're done here."

He loved how jumpy the eggheads get when he used the general voice. "This is a meeting to inform everyone about the fate of Atlantis." Jack cleared his throat with a cough. "By order of every nation that is involved in the Stargate program, Atlantis has one month to get repairs done, to get space worthy. If it does, Atlantis returns to Pegasus. If it fails to, the city stays." His blue eyes scanned the group, seeing equal parts disbelief and fury mixed with elation and excitement.

"Here are the reasons why." General O'Neill continued. "Since the beginning of the Stargate program, earth has been rocked by the realization that we are not alone in the world. Humans and aliens of all kinds. Friend and foe. We have had to come to grips with the fact that we are not the biggest and baddest in the not one but five galaxies that we know of. If we want to survive as a people, as a race, in whatever comes down the road, we need as many friends, in as many places as possible. We need home fronts. We need toe holds. We won the battles in the past, it's true. Through dumb luck at times. And as we all know, luck eventually runs out."

"If Atlantis stays here, Earth is an even bigger threat to anyone wanting to pick a fight. Strong but alone. One planet, and only one beam like the one the Asurans used on Atlantis or the one Anubis used on the SGC and our planet is finished. With or without the stargate to come through, any enemy strong enough to take out our planet would have ships large and strong enough to invade at any time. If Atlantis stays in the galaxy, we effectively run into the same problem. Lock and key in the same general vicinity." Jack dumbed it down for the geniuses in the room who often got so blinded by details that they forgot the big picture.

"We now face the Lucian Alliance. A more familiar monster than the previous two we have faced, that just makes it harder. Pegasus is still infected by the wraith. The Ida galaxy, also known as the Othalla galaxy, is still overwhelmed by replicators. We need more cities like Atlantis. The best and quickest way to get them is to have engineers capable of picking apart, copying, improving, and putting Atlantis back together crawling all over it while it's in action in a somewhat safe environment. Despite the wraith, Pegasus is the safest place for the moment."

A knowing smile spread across his face as General Carter stood up. He loved that she finally had that third star. "Now without further ado, here's General Carter to explain all the sciencey stuff." He nodded to Carter, letting her take his spot and moved through the almost non-existent aisles and pulled the chair from underneath Sophie's feet to sit beside her, where no one would see if he fell asleep.

The smaller blond leaned on his shoulder, slowly sipping her tea while she listened to Sam. "Good job." She murmured. "Real call to arms."

"Well," Jack replied, "I try."

It was funny, Jack thought, listening to his long time teammate he should be falling asleep right about the time she finished her opening statement, even with his eyes still open. It wasn't that he didn't care about what she was saying, it was just so boring. Shaking his head to clear it of the runaway train of thought that sped through his mind, he looked around the room again. The hairs on the back of his neck had been standing on end since he walked into the room, this was a sensation he was well familiar with. It had kept him alive time and time again. Someone, somewhere in this room, was staring at him, and not in a happy way.

Most everyone was staring up at Sam as she spoke animatedly about what the city needed and how many people were going to be pulled from around the world to make Atlantis shine with its former glory. People of every walk of life. First the scientists and military of course, but then the normal jobs like chefs, teachers, and tailors. Everything a real city would need, with the small exception of the fact that everyone on the thirty six and a half mile (58.8 km) city ship, needed basic S.E.R.E (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training or it's equivalent in their home country at the very least. Former military experience was preferable. But the main factor for choosing people to come to Atlantis, would be useful skills. No one would be chosen that would not have a valuable skill. Atlantis would be a research station and military station.

Almost everyone was staring at her, taking in her words and already planning their lists of candidates. Most, but not all. Heads bobbed from their notes to her face and back again, for the most part. A few looked at him out of interest. But they weren't the ones that were making his hair stand on end.

Sophie offered him another sip of tea, which he accepted gingerly. And sipping it, the feeling intensified. His eyes darted around the room as Sam's part in the meeting drew to a close and felt the blonde against his side pull to her feet with her second in command following her lead. "Wish us luck, papa bear." She whispered under her breath, straightening her clothing and sliding her sunglasses up as General Carter began her introduction.

"Good luck kid."

Sam nodded to her and Sophie made her way to the head of the room. She lay her tablet on the podium as Romanov took his place at her right, and then with a deep breath she began. "Good morning. I am Doctor Sophie McIntyre, the engineer in charge of the Atlantis rebuild and refit. This genius man to my right," she patted the man on the shoulder, "is Doctor Ivan Romanov, my second in command and right hand man. I'm here to tell you about our progress to this point, and our requirements for the next month." She looked to the man beside her, her lips tugging in reply to his wicked little smile. "The repairs are ahead of schedule. With luck we will be done in three weeks. Without it, three weeks and five days. I've already sent out my requisitions. So congratulations this meeting will take an hour less than you all expected and you all can make your lunch reservations."

She glanced over at the older man that lead Atlantis and nodded to his smile of glee at getting all of these people off his base. "Mr. Woolsey will be kind enough to show you the door." He tapped his comms and murmured into them, a moment later in a flash of light, all the delegates that were slated to leave were sitting in their offices around the world. All that remained was the department heads of Atlantis, the former members of SG1 and the flagship team of the city.

It only took Rodney a moment to begin talking. "Three weeks are you mad!" He yelled. "You can't possibly get the city fixed that quickly! It's impossible!"

The smallest blonde smiled, tapping her lips as she activated her comms. "Thank you, Dr. Novak. Please sweep the room just like we spoke about."

Doctor Lindsey Novak smiled, high above the landed city in her small lab. "On your signal, Sophie." She missed Hermiod, the annoying and condescending little grey goblin of an alien. And to help the one city that had at least a snowball's chance in Hades to bring the Asgard in all their glory back from the mass suicide they committed to protect everyone else from the replicators? Yeah, she'd break more


	5. Chapter 1 Resurrection part 5

A/N:

Hey guys! Sorry I'm late with part 5. If you pay attention to the United States news, you might know why I'm late. I'm in the area of the country that was hit by that ice and snow storm that hit the south east part of the country. Yeah no power and no internet for the better part of a week. It got as low as the single digits some nights. Granted it wasn't the biggest natural disaster our country has ever seen and definitely not the worst the world has seen. But I share in taking care of several older and infirm friends, without the power, they were without things like oxygen, dialysis, IV administered pain killers, and so many other necessary things. Now we're in clean up. But since I now have power and internet I thought I should update.

Also no power meant no writing, no editing, no nada. So I was kinda crawling out of my skin for nearly a week and couldn't do anything. Couldn't help anyone cause I was iced/snowed in my house. Do you know what it's like to play god with characters and have to abandon them for over a week? It's like... The torment of Tantalus. being offered food and drink but having it retreat from your fingers the second you reach for it. Okay enough dwelling.

So here is the last part of the first episode. I hope you like it. I'll admit, I'm getting antsy. There were a few that left reviews, and I am very very thankful for the kind words of the reviewers. But as reviews are the hot chocolate and energy drinks that my muses need, the poor underpaid plot bunnies are falling asleep at my key board. HELP! Thoughts, questions, ideas, comments, reviews, I love and the bunnies start making little bunnies that make more bunnies and more, ect ect ect. You get my point. I will be ignoring flames but hey that's to be expected. So onward!

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><p>Recap:<p>

_Doctor Lindsey Novak smiled, high above the landed city in her small lab. "On your signal, Sophie." She missed Hermiod, the annoying and condescending little grey goblin of an alien. And to help the one city that had at least a snowball's chance in Hades to bring the Asgard in all their glory back from the mass suicide they committed to protect everyone else from the replicators? Yeah, she'd break more than a couple of rules. _

Part 5:

"Count down." The young scientist murmured into her tiny microphone. "Three... two..." She turned to the waiting group. "Sorry for the wait. Novak informed me of a tap. My communicator was secured last night and she's been working on all of you and this room since."

Samantha caught on first. "Someone tapped our communications?"

Sophie tapped the tip of her nose in answer, walking to the one immovable object in the room, Woolsey's beloved table, and tapped gently on its surface. "How much do you love this table sir?" His face turned ashen. "Don't worry. It'll still be in one piece." Romanov pulled a tool kit from the pocket of his cargo pants as she rapped out the beat of shave and a hair cut on the smooth surface just above the darkest of knots. "Two bits." She whispered to the table and before the remaining people could say a word, Sophie slid underneath, holding out her hand for the kit.

"And the room has bugs." Shepherd guessed.

"Nice big, hairy ones." Romanov answered. "But not placed by any of the people from the meeting. The pretty doctor on the Daedalus found it yesterday."

Sophie pulled from under the table with a tiny recorder and transmitter in her hand and tossed it to the specialist. "Recognize it?"

"Black market in Pegasus." Ronon said, handing it to Sheppard on his left. "Former Genii design but they stopped using them years ago. Travelers picked them put but had no use for them and traded them on."

"To who?" O'Neill asked.

"Anyone who would buy."

"So we have enemies. What's new about that?" Sheppard asked.

Rodney, who had been pacing by the door, suddenly stopped, throwing up his hands. "What does it matter? We have enough insurmountable problems as is it. The ship can't go anywhere in it's current condition. We have a month to somehow do the impossible and fix it. We're undermanned to accomplish half that much. We have a faceless enemy here and one waiting for us in Pegasus if by some miracle we make it there. A wraith in our brig and my allergies are playing up from being on earth again. Now does the Wunderkind have a plan to fix any of that? Hm?"

Romanov almost giggled with glee as he handed his data pad to Radek. He couldn't wait to try welding in space, the necessary atmosphere protected only by the city shield. He was, as his younger partner so aptly described it, geeking out at the prospect. And frankly he thought the fact that the ancients didn't use the replicator nanites as repair and maintenance workers, was just plain foolish. The cells themselves were harmless, it was only the control and ability to think, plan, and plot that the ancients instilled in them so that they didn't have to watch over the creations shoulder that allowed them the freedom to take such drastic measures in the war against the wraith in the first place.

Radek barely looked at the plan that was outlined on the data pad before he started yelling in Czech. Sophie, who had learned the very best curses through the tutelage of the now yelling scientist had the grace to blush at his words. "You want to use the nanites!" He yelled, stunning the room full of people who spent years fighting the replicators. "That's insane! What are you thinking? Are you even thinking at all?"

"Made out of earth iron, with no ability to replicate or think for themselves, stripped down to the basic repair orders given to them by us?" Sophie replied. "They can cut down the repair time to less than a hundredth of what we would take. And if you scroll to page two of our findings, you'll actually find the origins of the replicators was in repair on unmanned satellites. They were basically millions of R2D2s. The ancients didn't use them as weapons till four thousand years after they were first created."

Rodney snatched the pad from Radek, Carter moving to look over his shoulder. Rodney stuttered and started, scrolling through each page. His mouth forming the words to argue but the sounds never fully forming. General Carter's eyes grew wide. "If this is right the base instructions were to do basic repairs to the city, even building new wings and towers." She turned to O'Neill, her blue eyes glittering with excitement. "Do you have any idea what this means? Not only for modern aeronautics but for agriculture, disaster relief, architecture, every dangerous job we humans take for granted as necessary? This was what allowed them to have the time to attain ascension." Looking to Sophie, Sam was almost bouncing. "You want to try it out on Atlantis."

"We've already been trying it in small scale on a different planet in underwater and unmanned labs." The smaller woman replied, while the soldiers around her almost gaped. "With the safety features we planned, it covers everything we can think of. Iron, so they break down in salt water. A kill switch. If they stop receiving signals from the control program for any reason, they break into individual blocks. They can communicate only to do a preprogrammed task, then return to the repair and maintenance labs to shut down. They can't replicate. They use materials we provide to make repairs. Someone is watching them twenty four hours a day. The shield generators still have the ARG crystals and the controls for them are non-networked so the bugs can't make them fail. With the same precautions and marines with flux ARGs stationed on every corridor we see no reason they shouldn't do their job." She argued. "McKay has even used them in medical procedures, granted with limited success because of how they went about fixing the damage. But this isn't as delicate, they shut down an empty section of city and no one dies. They can repair damage in space and under thousands of feet of water within days that I would never even be able to get to, let alone in the time limit."

Jack, exercising his rarely shown quality of patience, stayed silent. If it had been Rodney suggesting this immeasurable insanity, he wouldn't be sitting quietly by while the argument raged. But Sophie was a different animal all together. Both of them had their strengths and weaknesses. Under extreme pressure, Rodney could jury rig almost anything, a very large change from his earlier years. But given adequate time or less stress, couldn't think outside of the box. The rules were cemented in his head by the time and peace.

Sophie was more like Carter, understandable as his former team mate was her mentor and had been for years even before they met. She was dependable under pressure, not as quick, nervous, or erratic as Rodney but would still get the job done before time ran out. It was where Rodney struggled that she truly shined. As soon as the strain lifted at all, her mind would kick into high gear, she would think about what could be done and how to do it, instead of what needed to be done right that second.

In hindsight, that was probably what made them a good team, and why Radek asked for her to be transferred. Well that and the fact that they fought like cats and dogs, worse yet, brother and sister. Hey that should be entertaining, Jack thought. Wonder if I could get transferred. He shook his head, pulling himself from the thoughts that swirled around in his brain. He coughed, stilling the room instantly, almost. Daniel and Rodney kept talking until Sheppard smacked his teammate.

Turning to the scientists that waited for their answer. "Don't get cocky." She nodded and fled the room with her partner to implement their plan.

**A week later**

Romanov was panicking. While going through the progress reports for the city, he noticed that some were repeats. Nothing major yet, only enough to cause a nuisance, but they seemed to be increasing. And so he swallowed down his rising nerves and rechecked, and then triple checked. Then he double checked the replicator's repair history, they matched perfectly. So just to be on the safe side, he tracked the movements of individual replicators, and they were all working perfectly. Panic slowly rising, he called in two other programmers to recheck the coding for mechanical bugs right after he went through it, just in case he missed something. Nothing. A million and one other things he checked, ranging from possible glitches, to alien incursion which might actually be possible, given where he was working, but still. Nothing.

Having exhausted all the possibilities he could think of, there was only one possibility left. Someone didn't want Atlantis repaired, and was willing to resort to sabotage.

He felt his heart begin hammering at his ribs like it was trying to break free as he looked around the room, knowing that none of the workers that surrounded him were above suspicion. Did they notice that he was rechecking everything more thoroughly than normal? No, no one looked to be watching. Even if they had watched, this was the daily systems check and the first weekly, if he was neurotic about the systems normally, than a little bit more was to be expected now right?

Even if it wasn't, it simply couldn't be helped. He had to know before he started raising the alarm. Pasting on the unflappable demeanor his partner was known for, he dismissed the programmers and looked at the clock. It was about dinner time, Sophie would be having her breakfast in the cafeteria and he could slip away without garnering notice. She had to be informed.

"Group C, you're dismissed! If anyone needs me, I'll be getting something to eat!" He announced before quietly slipping out in the crush of hungry workers.

Paranoia kicking into high gear, he made his way through the city. He wandered almost aimlessly, speaking to a few scientists, doubling back on his path and several other things to make sure no one bothered following him. He would not make it easy for them if they tried. Of course he knew that didn't mean that they couldn't place a tracker or a microphone of some kind, somewhere on him. Luckily his partner was just as security conscious as himself, so she would understand if he showed up soaking wet while fully clothed from "accidentally falling" in the pool to short out anything that might be on his person.

Water dripping and boots squeaking on the polished floor, Romanov picked his way over to the table occupied by the little blond mother and her son.

"Hey Romanov." She motioned to the chair across from herself. "How are things going?"

The Russian glared at the table before tapping his wrist with three fingers. Immediately Sophie took to her feet, leaving her son in his seat next to the big Satedan that seemed to be glued to her son at the oddest times.

Worry lines creased the corners of her eyes even as she sent a reassuring smile to the man and little boy that scribbled in his notebook with his favorite blue crayon. When the little boy glanced her way she tapped beside her eyes in silent direction, only turning away when he nodded.

"Momma's worried." Luka breathed to the big man beside him.

Instantly alert, Ronon stared in the direction she walked. She waved her hands to her partner, motioning to form the silent sentences. It looked similar to the ones that the earth military used, and he had to pick up to understand them, but very different. Only people who had worked together for years would understand it. Lips never formed words, but still the conversation raged. "Can you understand what they're saying?"

Luka's little hand fell to Ronon's arm, squeezing as he hauled himself to his knees in the plastic chair. "Yes. But I'm not supposed to." He squinted in his mother's direction, his hands flipping to a blank page in his notebook, the crayon still in his fingers. Luka bit his lip, when his mother's hand rested on the pommel of the knife that was strapped to her hip every day, and quickly scribbled a word on the page.

Ronon looked at the word, struggling to remember the earth language english. He could speak it, but reading and writing it had always been difficult. It was one of the reasons that he rarely turned in reports until Woolsey gave him that recorder. Finally making it out, he gulped down the last of his coffee while the worried little boy packed up his bag. "Up." Ronon ordered, pleased when Luka didn't question the command, only complied and waited for the next one, while he pulled on his bag.

Eyes greyed with worry, looked to the blond's tousled hair that obscured her face. It tossed wildly as she laughed loudly, sounding forced to those that really knew her. But her hands kept speaking a different story, tapping her eyes, head, and chest, twirling through the air like a drunken ADHD marionette. She glanced at her son and flashed three different signs at him, receiving a nod before she turned back to the Russian engineer.

Luka tugged at Ronon's pant leg, pulling his attention. "Momma said return to quarters, S.E.R. ."

It didn't take long for Ronon to realize how very well trained little Luka was. He wandered through the halls, at an advantage because of his small size granted. But not even Ronon could have tracked him had they lost each other. But Luka never let his hand go.

Little fingers wrapped around his own much larger ones, nearly vice like in their unrelenting hold as Luka led him up and down passages. The little boy seemed to touch buttons at random in the transporters. He pulled them up random stairways and down others. Crossing over their path again and again in the maze of hallways until the runner's head spun.

More than once, with a simple nudge or a slight touch, Luka set an accident in motion. No one could ever prove that he was the cause. No one even thought to blame him. But Ronon saw. No one got truly hurt, but each accident did slow things down behind them. Had anyone been following them through the crowed halls, there would have been no way they could get past the resultant traffic jams. But they passed through the halls and the crowds like everything around them was no more than mist.

Luka never looked back.

Had it been another runner, Ronon would have been amazed at the evasive skill. Had it been another warrior, he would have been proud to be along side him. As it was, with the desire to be the little boys father, while he was proud he was also concerned. Why had he learned this? How?

**Elsewhere in the hallways.**

It had been a while since she had felt adrenaline flood her muscles and soak into her bones. But now it felt like she was drowning in it. Someone wanted them to fail. Someone wanted the city to be a sitting duck with a target on it's back, just waiting for the next attack. Unable to run, with depleted drones and no possible help from the decimated earth forces, earth and this grand city would be easy pickings.

They may have won the last battle, but battles didn't make wars.

Battles were one short length of time. It didn't matter if they felt like they were years in length. Days. Hours. Sometimes minutes.

Wars... A different animal entirely. Wars could be fought for years without anyone knowing they were happening. They could rage in a silent room, fought with nothing other than a bottle of something good and strong, two glasses, and two people that could stare at each other for hours. Wars were all about information and toys. Who had the most and the best generally made it out alive.

At the moment, there was a war that was raging about her. An ever present undercurrent that she could sense, but never touch. Someone had all the information right now. But it wasn't her, and knowing that... gnawed at her bones. It ate away at the very marrow of her being like acid. Now whoever it was that had the information, was looking for the toys that would win them the physical side of the war, the battles.

She could make them. Make the toys that turned the tide of war.

This war had gotten too close in the one place that was supposed to be safe.

It didn't matter if she wasn't sure this was where she and her son were staying in Atlantis. It didn't matter if all this was only temporary shelter. It didn't matter what planet they were on. Or what base they were currently stationed at.

They had come into her home. Where her son slept. To destroy it.

Way...

Too...

Close...

Funny thing about wars... There were only two kinds. Wars that were fought by attrition. And wars that were fought with the toys she could make. Attrition wars were almost always lost before you even knew they had begun. The blood bath wars... the ones fought with toys, unbending will, and undying fury? She smiled at her thoughts as she raced down the halls, feet pounding on the smooth floors as people parted from before herself and Romanov. A smile of grim determination. Those wars were rarely so easy.

She was reminded of a proverb, from some planet that she could never remember the name of, that Daniel had told her long ago. Never push the pink flesh to the thin ice. The Goa'uld learned that the hard way, so did their loyal Jaffa, the Replicators, the Kull warriors, the Ori, most recently the Wraith that had made it to Earth, and even the Ancients. It was prophetic. Whoever this was... Whatever was the end game... They would learn too.

Because you never pushed the pink flesh to the thin ice. And you never threatened a momma bear's kid...

The tattoo that lay between her shoulder blades, hidden by her black racer back shirt, burned.

Make that a momma wolf.

_**End part one.**_

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><p>AN: Oh hey two more things.

If you've read any of my other stories, you know I always include another language, like Gaelic and Navi in my other ones. I'm going to carry on the tradition in this one. And like always I will be including the translations. Either in the main body of the story or here at the bottom. But because Atlantis have characters from all over Earth, Pegasus, Othalla, and maybe even the Milky way, there will be more than my standard two languages. I have 6 planned at the moment but may add more later. Who knows, maybe Rodney speaks French as well as English. Wouldn't that be fun?

And here is a Picture of what Sophie looks like. :/ center-parted-tousled-curly-ombre-hair-for-long-hair-carmens-hairstyle/ remove the spaces. The link is also on my profile. Yes she looks like Carmen Electra in this picture. And if you're female and look like this and happen to be an engineer working underwater to repair a intergalactic spaceship, would you wear anything other than swimsuits and wet suits? Still looking for a story cover and a pic of Luka. Let you know when I find something.

Remember the little button at the bottom that says review! Click it and help me feed the bunnies. Make the bunnies "happy." ;-)


	6. Chapter 2 Uninvited Part 1

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry I'm late. As I said before, taking care of a friend, working, school, writing, editing, and building a market farm from the ground up. So I'm quite busy. But I am trying to get back up to being a full episode ahead of my posting at any given point. I'm close, so hopefully I'll get back to no interruptions again soon.

Anyway, here's episode 2. I still own nothing but my OC's and the story line. Please review and tell me what you think. Ta!

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><p>Recap:<p>

_Because you never pushed the pink flesh to the thin ice. And you never threatened a momma bear's kid... _

_The tattoo that lay between her shoulder blades, hidden by her black racer back shirt, burned. _

_Make that a momma wolf._

Episode 2 Uninvited (Part 2)

**Overflow Crew Quarters, Sophie and Luka's suite**

Making their way back to the suite that Sophie and Luka currently occupied was easy. No one really looked at the former runner and the little boy that clung to his hand with anything more than a passing glance. But despite making good time, they still arrived after the two engineers.

Not used to being slower than a scientist, Ronon really didn't like walking into the room in the middle of... what he wasn't really sure. Romanov and Sophie were busy at their computers, with only the clicking of keys to break the silence. It was so unlike the others. Rodney would have been nearly shrieking, but the only sign of strain on these two, was the multiple cups of coffee around Romanov and the single glass, that smelt like that sweetener that all of the earthlings seemed to favor, that sat beside Sophie.

Luka quickly went to his mother, dropping to his knees beside her. Without taking her eyes from the screen, she pulled him closer. "Thank you for bringing him back Ronon."

"Sure." He replied, looking around for an empty chair. He didn't have a sparring session scheduled for hours. And if he was seen idle, either the IOA would want to talk at him some more or some masochistic marine would want to challenge his supremacy in the training rooms. Or even worse... he'd run into Amelia. And after the last time he saw her and then her transfer, he was fine with waiting. But

Hazel eyes flicked over him, a hint of worry clouding them as she kissed her son's curly hair. Something was going on in their depths, but he wasn't exactly sure what it was.

Pushing to her feet, Sophie placed Luka in her chair, the boy almost immediately turning to her laptop and the tablets that created a nearly one hundred eighty degree screen. "Stay here baby. I need a word with Ronon." A single glance in her business partner's direction and she made her way to the small balcony.

"Don't worry." Romanov called as Ronon followed. "I'll watch the munchkin."

"And I'll watch the baby." Luka mumbled dryly, rapidly flicking through the pages of records on the screens as if he couldn't be bothered by what was going on around him.

Outside, bathed in the fading sunlight with the wind combing through her hair, she glowed. But she had never willingly been alone with him since the day they met, and the fact that she was and had even sought out this moment, set him on edge. The hair on the back of his neck standing on end, he walked to the railing beside her and waited.

Minutes passed with no sound but the crashing waves far below and the howling of the wind between the city spires.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" He finally asked.

Hazel eyes, devoid of their normal laughing glimmer, swung to him. He had seem that look before, but never on her. Perfect blankness, rivaling the giant cat like predators on a planet that he nearly died on. Not even wraith queens could match them. And here this little female that barely reached his shoulder when she stood on the tips of her toes was matching the look they wore, and surpassing it. He honestly didn't know if he should be nervous or turned on. And she hadn't even turned to him yet.

Turning to lean back on the railing, he stared back. Challenging her look with one of his own. Would she crumble under the menacing air that he had worn like armor, and perfected over years, like every other female and most of the males had on Atlantis?

All she did was copy his stance against the rail, folding her arms across her belly like she was protecting the child she had carried, even as he sat feet away, inside and safe. Her hands curled into fists and the muscles in her arms tensing and stretching her skin over them, like she was ready for anything. And wouldn't stop until Ronon was on the ground in pieces if he was to start it.

On Sateda she would have been a prize that many would have wanted. No one had really understood his attraction to Malena, who to others was soft and considered weak. Honestly that had been what drew him to her, because he wanted to be the protector in their relationship. It had been the same with Keller. Amelia was a departure from his normal, but that ended.

Sophie wasn't weak. Had she been on Sateda, she would have been fought over, violently. His people had valued a female who could and would protect her family, come what may. Being from a lower family inside his clan, he would have had his work cut out. Being a Specialist wold have helped, but not by much. Because he sensed the predator in her, the animal that was right under the surface. And so would everyone else.

"Why are you hanging around Luka?" She finally asked, no emotion seeping into her voice. Every word as blank as her face.

"What do you mean?"

Her lips twitched showing just a sliver of her teeth between them, but not in a smile. "Men don't hang around a boy who isn't their son, especially one like Luka, without a motive. What's yours?"

"I can't just think he's a good kid?" Ronon asked, letting the confusion he felt color his words.

"No." Sophie snapped. "And don't waste my time by lying."

Pain. He saw it in her. Pain based on experience. That decided it, more than anything else. "Honestly?"

"If you don't mind." She answered with sarcastic politeness.

Carefully he weighed his words, knowing his normal grunt, growls and terse replies wouldn't help here. The people of earth tended to think he was all muscle and no brain, but even if that had been true, he would have known better than to mess with an angry mother. "Alright truth, I want his mom." He held up a hand, halting the next logical question she could ask before it was formed. "Not for the night, or even a few. Permanently. Want to be Luka's father."

She blinked. That was not what she had expected. At all. She had been told the rumors, only moments after she left lunch that fist day. Ronon never stays with a woman who won't put out, even if the chick does, he never stays with her for more than the night. She had carefully monitored everything that he talked to Luka about. But Luka did most of the talking. Ronon asked questions, talked about weapons, tracking, and other very practical subjects that she had been teaching Luka about his entire life. The only time she had ever objected to anything they had done together, was when Ronon had taken Luka to the gym without telling her first. She had hunted the city over until she had found Luka watching in wrapped attention, as Ronon tossed a Marine around like a chew toy.

She threw an unholy fit. But instead of getting angry as she had expected, Ronon had apologized. And the next day, he showed up like clockwork, with a com set in his hand for Luka, so she could always find him. And since that day they had always left her a message telling her where they would be.

The rumors hadn't stopped. Eventually they had turned to rumors of how she was keeping Ronon's attention. None of them had been flattering, and she had talked to Luka about them so he knew what to expect. Luka had laughed and said 'They obviously don't know you well do they mom?' But she really hadn't expected anything like this. She had thought... honestly the worst. That he was behind the sabotage attempts, that that was the only reason he was interested in her son and herself. To get closer to the project. To do more damage.

But Ronon wasn't lying. The set of his jaw, the intense searching look in his eyes, the strain in his shoulders, and a thousand and one other little things she had gotten used to reading in the past days almost screamed it at her. He was telling the truth. As delicately as he could while being bluntly honest.

Suddenly she slid to the deck plating of her balcony, her knees refusing to bear her weight any longer.

"Sophie?" Ronon asked, concerned. There had been several reactions he had expected. This wasn't on. Granted in most of the scenarios he had thought about, he hadn't revealed his interest quite so soon. So there was that.

"I..." She began, leaning into the rail post behind her. "Didn't expect that. I don't honestly know what exactly I expected. But that wasn't it."

Folding his long legs he took the space beside her, glancing at Luka who's head was still buried in the screens. "Tell me what's wrong." He murmured after a long silence.

Teyla had told her Ronon was one of the best men she knew. She had stood fast in her opinion of the rumors. Had defended Ronon with eloquent, beautiful, and unending determination when the rumors were mentioned in her hearing.

Sheppard had confined more than one of the people under his command to the brig after they unwanted attentions had been turned on her. It was only after that the rumor mill began working over time. She wasn't stupid. She understood the cause and effect of that as easily as she understood the forces that ripped ships apart at light speed when the shields were down.

Even Rodney, Woolsey, Lorne, and Radek had been steadfast in their loyalty to the man that sat beside her. And Luka? Luka trusted him as she had never seen him trust any other male other than his uncles and grandfather.

Could she have that faith in him? Should she?

Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer to whoever was listening. "Some one is sabotaging the repair efforts. Or at least trying to. They haven't gotten very far."

"The replicators?"

She shook her head, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her palms. "Records show that they have just been repairing the damage to the outer shell of the city beneath the waterline like we programmed them. The damage is so far restricted to the levels that I only have humans working on. Like who ever is doing this doesn't actually know that I have the replicators working, or better yet they're afraid of unleashing them. Either way I'm fine with them not unleashing replicator heck. But we're double checking just to make sure."

"You think it's someone on Atlantis?"

"I don't want to. But how many of the people currently on Atlantis came back with the city from Pegasus? A hundred maybe? There's six hundred people here currently. I can't even trust all of the people working with me because I didn't bring them. I brought thirty people. I was assigned one hundred the second I stepped foot in the city. Not a one of them was stationed on Atlantis to begin with." She sighed. "I may not be stationed here permanently, but my son is in this city right now Ronon. Today this is his home."

"So when you asked why..."

"I didn't know if you had been assigned to watch us." She explained. "I figured that you'd want the city to be space worthy, but I couldn't assume. Not when something this big is on the line. I just had to be sure."

"Trust me now?" He asked. His heart thudded inside his chest as the words spilled out. But he had to know. On every level, he needed to know. If she didn't, with the city or herself and her son, he had to know either way.

"With the city, yes." Sophie didn't even hesitate. "With my son, if something happens to me, I trust you to protect him and get him home to my family. With my heart..." She sighed. "Can I give that a little time?"

"I think that's only fair." He laughed. "I did kind of spring this on you." She trusted him with Luka. That was something at least.

The glimmer returned to her eyes and he felt his heart speed up when she turned a smile in his direction. Her shoulders relaxed a little, as she laughed with him. "Just a bit. Look if you're serious, you should know a few of my personal rules."

"Go ahead."

She bit her lips for a moment. "It may be too early to start this kind of serious talk, but I have to think about Luka first in all this okay?" Receiving an answering nod, she continued. "I don't share. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt because I already know the rumors that are floating around about you, but I do not share with other women. I am incredibly jealous about that."

"Rumors?" He grunted. "What rumors?"

Raising a hand she counted on her fingers as she answered. "Well there's the one that names you as Atlantis' answer to Casanova." At his confused look she chuckled. "Casanova is a legend on earth. The world's most prolific and greatest lover. Love them and leave them type of guy. The next claims that you slept with every unattached female in the city, and a few of the males."

Ronon grimaced. "I'd never get any sleep if I did that."

"I thought that one was a little far fetched too."

Sending a wicked grin in her direction, he corrected, "no it's possible. I just like my sleep, eating, and training the marines too much. Besides lately I've been following an engineer and her son around the city."

"Any one I know?" She laughed, pulling her hair back into a pony tail.

"Maybe." He answered, pulling her back toward him as he removed the tie that held her hair. His quick fingers nimbly twisting the strands into a complicated braid.

Almost purring in pleasure at her hair being played with, she relaxed into him like a happy cat. "Big bad Specialist knows how to braid a girl's hair. The rumor mill would love that."

"Big bad Specialist grew up around mainly females, and was almost married once." He explained, his voice barely audible over the crashing waves. She deserved to know, since he was interested in her, that didn't mean everyone else had to overhear. "Hair braiding kept me out of a lot of trouble. Although I haven't practiced in many years. Not even for all my rumored conquests on Atlantis."

"Good to know." He felt the smile in her words, relieved that she didn't feel the need to push for more information. He would tell her if she asked, but that didn't mean he was comfortable with the idea. "If I'm right, and it is a human on Atlantis that is responsible, things may get dicey." She sighed, relaxed and resigned as she leaned back into his chest. "Can I ask you a couple favors?"

End part 1 of episode 2

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><p>AN: Not to be a review skank, but review please! The plot bunnies need more fuel and chocolate. And Jolly Ranchers if you have any to spare. ;-)

Oh my goodness! They finally make a little head way in their relationship. Let's see where this takes us. And who is the saboteur?


	7. Chapter 2 Uninvited Part 2

A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for the support guys! Okay I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you have the previous chapters.

I'm still looking for a picture of Luka for you all because I haven't really gone into his father, yes it would make the munchkin look different. I mean I know who his father is and how he looks but I haven't really gotten to him in the story. And I won't until I take everyone to Atlantic Beach/Beaufort North Carolina... HEHEHEHE! I'm evil. Also looking for the rest of Sophie's family and some of Ronon's family... Oops... I um... That's a *SPOILER*! So erase that from our mind!

*awkward silence and crickets chirp* so... Enjoy...!

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><p>Recap:<p>

"_Good to know." He felt the smile in her words, relieved that she didn't feel the need to push for more information. He would tell her if she asked, but that didn't mean he was comfortable with the idea. "If I'm right, and it is a human on Atlantis that is responsible, things may get dicey." She sighed, relaxed and resigned as she leaned back into his chest. "Can I ask you a couple favors?"_

Part 2

"Want me to keep an eye on Luka?" He guessed.

"Yeah. If anything happens to me, take him back to my family in North Carolina and tell them Aniwaya. And don't be surprised of they become walking armories afterward."Again she smiled. "Also I may need you to..."

"Momma! I have something!" Luka yelled from his seat.

**Somewhere on earth**

"Have they made any move toward disabling the program?" One shadowed figure said to the other. Today it was a poetry reading that they met at. The irony was that it was for a peace convention. Someone thought they were being funny. He would have to fix that when he got back to base.

"No." The second figure replied. "So far we have them running around in circles, distracted by the small things. But the program is still working."

"So the city will be intact but empty when we're ready to take it."

"Everything and everyone inside will be dead."

"How long?"

**Overflow crew quarters: Sophie and Luka's suite**

Sophie had only taken about three seconds of looking at the screens before she packed them into a bag and pulled the strap over her shoulder. "We're gonna have to run and I mean break neck speed if we want to get ahead of this thing and we'll need Rodney and Radek." Romanov only took a second longer before he was ready to go as well.

"What's happening?" Ronon asked, pulling the little boy onto his back. There was no way they were leaving Luka behind, and no way was he staying behind to baby sit while the city was being saved once again. Not while Sophie was in the middle of it.

"Virus." Luka murmured, clinging to him like a monkey. "Alliance coding I think. Set to suffocate everyone in the city in less than a day. They'll need every spare second to stop it. Can't get Rodney and Uncle Radek or anyone else on coms because they can be hacked."

Locking his arms around the little boys legs to hold him in place, the former runner nodded, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "We gotta go."

One more look at Luka on Ronon's back and with a nod they started out. Luka held on tighter, readying for the increase in speed. "Momma runs fast."

Ronon grunted. "I think I can keep up."

Luka laughed smugly and waved slightly from his shoulder as his mom and Romanov began running. "Bye mom."It was as if during the second that he blinked they disappeared. All he heard was the thudding of their footstepsafter they disappeared. Very fast. "Momma runs marathons. Romanov took up running to keep up. Momma has two speeds, fast and long distance. I suggest you move."

Ronon thought he was fast. And he was, and would forever blame the fact that the two scientists got to the labs first on the fact that they had a head start, but even he had to admit that they were fast. And when he did catch up, he had to swallow very hard. This was bad. Very bad that she was this much of a distraction, while he was running no less.

**Rodney's lab**

Rodney was having a such a good day. The city was being repaired and stocked. He wasn't being attacked or under the threat of being eaten, dismembered or killed, or even infected with parasites, exposed to machines that accelerated his evolution, or anything else that would have killed him. Such a good day. Jennifer had gone to breakfast with him. They had enjoyed the peace of the dawning sun over San Francisco. And then she left him with a steaming cup of coffee at his desk. She didn't even drink coffee.

How she ever made it through med school he would never know.

But she went out of her way to make sure that he had a cup of java so hot it almost burnt his hand through the insulated cup, knowing that he wouldn't need it for a little bit. He really was very lucky and he had no idea how that happened at all.

And then people came running into the lab right at him.

They may not have run into him but he still jumped and the coffee went flying. "What is going on!"

"Virus!" The Russian scientist panted as the blond pulled out her tablets and laptop. "In life support!"

"It's set to kill everything in the city in sixteen hours fifty four minutes. A worm virus." Sophie said getting straight to the point. "It looks like it's been hatching unfolding for the past few weeks, implanted since just after Atlantis touched down we think. It looks like it's been chewing through and rewriting code as it goes. With the influx of people and so much going on, no one picked up of anything. Between the distractions and not enough people who know what they're looking for, it got quite a lot."

Rodney, his hair stuck up like a hedge hog's, was already in motion and becoming redder by the second as he scanned the code. He didn't even have time to explode into his normal cascade of words as his face grew more and more red. Instead he was only able to say one phrase. "Ditsla comal datsunan!" He yelled, furiously typing in the key board.

"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Romanov asked, his eyes growing wide.

Luka nodded vigorously from atop his perch on Ronon's back. "McKay said bad words. In Vulcan." And then suddenly he gasped, smacking his mom's arm in surprise. "Momma!"

About to correct him for the hit, she looked at his face and knew. Something in the workings of his brilliant little mind found something, either something very bad, like a plan behind the virus that would significantly worsen an already terrible day, or something very very good like a weakness or a move that they could make to horrible circumstance tip this in their favor. "Yes baby?"

"Honey trap."

The muscles at the side of her mouth slowly retracted, with an evil light filling her eyes. That was... "Perfect."

"What?" Ronon grunted.

Tapping her comms, Sophie moved closer to his side as she addressed Rodney and Zelenka. "Rodney can you disable the virus? Cause if you and Radek have that covered we might have a way to turn the trap around on whoever set it. But it requires some split second timing, so if you don't need the help, we have to go."

Rodney waved a hand as he felt he was too busy to pay attention to anything or any one going on around him.

"Romanov, to the city communications. Shut everything down like the worm has infected in. Use the training program that Luka designed." Sophie said kissing her son's forehead in silent thanks. As her partner swung into action, linking his computer to the city communications, turning every data stream into nothing but impenetrable snow, she explained. "If we make it look like the city is still infected by the virus, that it did it's job, we buy time to lock down the city, find if there's a traitor here, give you and the security teams the opportunity to catch anyone that comes to take over. And then question them to find out what the heck is going on. Only problem is that in about thirty seconds we're gonna have everyone screaming at us about the radio silence."

"Sheppard and Woolsey will need to okay this." The specialist stated, setting the little boy he held down gently. "They won't be happy that you started already."

"No." Rodney interjected, still staring at his computer. "She's right about the timing. Of course they'll have to be told, but if she didn't start setting things in motion now, we'd be too late. The virus is picking up speed as it eats." He tapped his comm set, thankful when it crackled to life as if nothing was going on. Obviously they knew enough to leave internal communication on. "Sheppard, Mr Woolsey. We need you both in my lab."

"City wide comms." Sophie said calmly after tapping her communicator as if nothing was wrong. "Excuse me for the interruption ladies and gentle men, this is Doctor Sophie McIntyre. We're experiencing a slight programming glitch. As you've probably noticed by now," Romanov nodded at the corner of her vision, everything was set. "The external communications are down temporarily, and several of the doors seem to be jammed. It's effecting other things like life support," she lied smoothly. "And plumbing. We are working to get you out to the designated safe zones before anything else is effected. So if you see a door near you open, please walk through it as it's the engineering team getting you out. Thank you very much for your time. McIntyre out."

All the men around the room smirked as they carried out their tasks, not saying what they were all thinking.

But Ronon turned his smile in her direction. "You're good."

"Momma could have been a con artist." Luka laughed, carefully guiding his program through the stages of marking people of each department and herding them through open doors. Security teams to the armory, scientists and civilians to panic rooms and their reinforced walls and doors. "Never take her to Vegas."

Ruffling the little boys hair, she poked his ticklish side gently. "I only took you once twerp." She smiled gratefully, knowing exactly what her son was doing. He had noticed the tightness creeping into the edges of her eyes, the small twitch in her mouth, all of the little things that showed she was tense. It had been just them for so very long. Sure they had family back in North Carolina, that they both dearly loved, but they rarely got to visit. So it had been just them, and her son got to know her as well as she knew him. "Besides, we made like ten grand that trip. It was the start of your college fund so don't knock it."

Luka sent her a baleful look before going back to his task.

Sophie shivered looking up into the ever watchful green eyes of the Specialist. He had noticed too, and seemed to have a much different method of relieving her tension in mind.

Luckily for her John and Mister Woolsey interrupted so she didn't have to worry about the almost ache that settled into the pit of her stomach. She hadn't felt that ache in... oh so long. That was disturbing on so many levels. Not even Travis had caused an ache that strong. His had felt like a gentle rain shower on the hottest day of the summer. Refreshing and still enough to churn her stomach like the ocean floor was tossed by the tides. This felt more like a hurricane, darkening her skies and flooding the coasts. What would happen when the storm clouds cleared? And would it just be the eye of the storm?

"So what's going on?" Sheppard asked, snapping her out of her revelry. Luckily she didn't really have to say anything. Rodney did all the talking.

Ronon shrugged when Sheppard looked puzzled at him. He was honestly there to watch Sophie and Luka until someone told him to point his gun and where. He was getting kind of bored honestly, until Sophie sat beside him. How was it that she had all his attention by just sitting down?

It reminded him of the old legends on Sateda. Of how, in the beginning, man was one being made of both male and female. They were capable of anything. Great feats of strength and bravery, and even moving mountains if not the very planets themselves. Then they did something truly stupid. Whatever they did changed depending on who was telling the story, parents scaring their children into behaving or elders at festivals or someone else. But the point was always the same. The gods became angry and decided that the only way to control them was to divide them. And so the story went that humans were always looking for their other half. And once they found each other, if one perished, the other would too.

He had thought with Melena, that he had found his fabled other half. And maybe he did. But maybe there was never just one right person for everyone. Melena had always laughed at the stories. She always said the human heart wasn't as fragile as the old ones believed. That if you were strong enough, brave enough, and had the will, you would heal and find another half.

For years as he was on the run, he thought it was only his anger that kept him going. His fury at loosing everything. His drive for revenge against the one wraith that took Melena, his family, everyone and everything else he had ever known, but the hunger for that had died with that one wraith's death.

He would admit that he healed after that. It was only after that moment that he could look at another woman with any more than a passing interest. Then he did a heck of a lot of looking. And there was a lot to look at on Atlantis.

But then Sophie slammed into him and he felt the air leave his lungs. It was just like his mother had told him over her famous kassin on festival nights by the roaring village bonfire. The almost electric feeling that raced along his skin whenever they touched, most of the time by accident. The tightness in his chest, whenever she looked at him, let alone smiled. All the signs were there. After all these weeks watching, after years on the run, he had no doubts.

If this had been Sateda, he would have gone to her clan elders with his own. His elders would have presented him, and hers would have decided if he was even acceptable to court her. He didn't know to do for her.

He'd worry about that later.

"What!" John almost yelled as they told him about the trap they had set. "How long?"

"I don't know!" Rodney answered. "The virus is speeding up exponentially. Every time I think we have trapped, it chews through the barriers like they're not even there. It doesn't even slow down. It just uses it as fuel!"

Sophie smacked the Canadian scientist on the arm as a light filled her eyes. "Use it as bait! It's not going after the Lantian systems is it?"

He spun in his chair, frustration at having to stop and patiently (not hardly) deal with another idiot evident as it oozed from his every pore. But Radek answered first. "No. It's ignoring the Ancient systems entirely in favor of the easier Earth coding when it's available. Then it goes back to converting the Ancient systems and spawning."

Rodney snapped his fingers, finally knowing exactly what she was talking about. "We lead it into the non-networked computer with the Earth coding and then burn it out. It's rudimentary, but effective. And as we've seen rudimentary works against higher level tech."

Sophie turned to Ronon with a smirk on her lips, whispering. "Big brain say rock sometimes kill better than bomb. Say little brain have good idea."

Ronon chuckled. "Big brain terrified of arrows. Got hit in the..." He coughed, looking at Luka. Normally he wouldn't bother not saying something, child or no, but he was still learning what he could and could not say around Luka. Ronon wasn't good with delicate and learning what boundaries there were concerning Luka, what boundaries Sophie would let him cross. That was delicate.

"Really?" Sophie laughed. "Ouch."

"Shouldn't you be working?" Rodney asked, nearly yelling at her.

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><p>AN: Enjoy it? Review! Feed the plot bunnies! They're starving! Help them make little bunnies!

And if you think you know what Luka or the rest of Sophie's family look like, let alone... well I won't make that mistake again, Show me! You may just be right... It may get added into the story. Who knows what may happen!

See you next time guys!


	8. Chapter 2 Uninvited Part 3

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry, I know I'm late. Life has gone from 6 to 8 on the stress scale. I'm also feeling rather sick and haven't slept, even more so than normal, in over a week. My normal is 4 hours a night. Now I'm beating Elliot Spencer with only 30 min at a time. So yeah... Really don't want to have to go visit a doctor for that... It's probably the excess stress.

Anyway. Onward! One of my dear dear dear reviewers sent my two suggestions for Sophie's family. And i sincerely appreciate it. I am using one of them, but not in the way my reviewer (Thank you LadyBlondMary.),suggested. I have a character that he would be perfect as. I think Ronon needs a little... competition... Wouldn't you agree? We'll see about that in the coming episodes. *evil grin* I am still looking for Luka, Sophie's mom and all the Satedians, all three hundred (lol) that are left. But I found Sophie's brothers and father.

*Update* I FOUND LUKA! SEE HIM IN THE NEXT POSTING!

As the episodes keep going, you'll get a whole lot of back story and twists and turns in the over all story line. But keep in mind that I am writing them only an episode at a time, so if another project is more pressing (like I'm trying to get published or another fanfic says in my head that doesn't have 24 episodes to a season), I don't leave you hanging right in the middle of an episode.

As for my other writing projects, my original pieces, I am still editing and working on them. So we'll see. The little people playing out stories of weird and fanciful worlds get really loud sometimes. LOL! So I keep working on their tales, simply so they go to sleep. ;-)

I'm a writer. What can I say? It should be obvious by now that I'm not entirely sane. Just kidding. Maybe.:-D

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><p>Recap:<p>

_Ronon chuckled. "Big brain terrified of arrows. Got hit in the..." He coughed, looking at Luka. Normally he wouldn't bother not saying something, child or no, but he was still learning what he could and could not say around Luka. Ronon wasn't good with delicate and learning what boundaries there were concerning Luka, what boundaries Sophie would let him cross. That was delicate._

"_Really?" Sophie laughed. "Ouch."_

"_Shouldn't you be working?" Rodney asked, nearly yelling at her. _

Part 3

"Hey!" Sophie growled, invading the larger scientist's space. "I'm the mother here! This isn't my field, but you're using my idea, my partner, and MY SON! So guess what? You're stuck with me, Rodney, until Luka And Romanov are done and I can get them to a safe room. So deal with it!"

Ronon couldn't help it, as he pulled her back to her seat. If only there was more time. He would have been tempted to take her back to her rooms, after dropping Luka off with Teyla that was. No clue what would happen, but he could hope. He was a red blooded male after all. His arms slid around her waist, almost restraining her. She was a marvel. He would have had more than a small fight over her if she had been Satedan.

"Sophie," John began. "I need you to take Teyla and Torren to the safe room when you go."

Luka laughed. "Good luck with that."

Sophie grinned, an evil glint in her eye. One Ronon and John recognized from all the times it had slid onto their own faces. It was one of hunger for blood. They had come into her home, invading it and violated it. They were about to personally step into it. There was no way she was going to miss out on this fight. She may hang back and guard the safe rooms, but that was as far as she was going. The few children currently on Atlantis were all going to one hidden room, and it would be well guarded.

"I'll escort Torren and Luka to the children's ward, and guard it outside. If Teyla wants to stay inside with them that's fine. But I trust Luka to guard inside, that's enough."

John sputtered. Used to having only Teyla and Ronon question him, he wasn't expecting the civilian scientist to refuse his order. He was expecting her to bow to his order like every other scientist. "You'll go where I tell you. So will Teyla."

Ronon fought a small smile, hearing Teyla's light step in the emptying halls. Luka had obviously directed her through the halls to Rodney's lab while they were talking. But when she smacked the back of John's head, the giant man guffawed.

"I will not hide away, while my home is being invaded!" Teyla stated, her voice overflowing with the molten iron that they had all seen in action more than once.

John blinked, taking in the tiny woman before him. Torren was strapped to her chest in a leather harness, but every inch of her was covered in armor and weapons. Her hands were full of a pair of swords, armor and harnesses that he didn't recognize. But as Sophie reached for them and began strapping them into place, it became clear that both mothers were prepared for war.

"Yes you will!" John tried. "I order you to the safe room with your son."

Luka carefully made his way between the two adults and waited as his mother removed the harness full of toddler from Teyla and buckled it around him, as if the two glaring adults were nothing more flies buzzing at each other. One of the weapon harnesses found itself being strapped to him, a Zat gun filling it on one side, a knife hanging from the other. Nodding at his mother, he pulled his bag around both him and Torren.

"Does he know how to fire that thing?" Ronon asked.

"Can shoot a two inch target from three hundred feet away." Luka answered calmly, the Zat opening with a click in his steady little hands. He had been hunting ever since he was three. Before that momma had always tucked him into a carrier that held him in place for the family's yearly hunting trips. Hunting trips and hiking and camping and tracking and gathering plants for great grandma. Between each job Momma would always take him out, a trip into the jungle, or into the woods, or the desert. Somewhere away from city lights. There he learned how to hit a target.

Rodney, nearly turning apoplectic at the sight of the armed child, as Radek cried in triumph when the virus took the bait, yelled. "That's it! Is that shadow program working Romanov?"

"Da!" The Russian replied. "Same speed, and it should be enough to fool anyone on the outside. Broadcasting false data!"

Nervously, Ronon watched as Sophie laced the hardened leather covered armor plates to her forearms and shins with a practiced air. The leather was worn and scared from use. It made him uneasy. Not that she apparently could protect herself, despite the fact that she refused to spar with him. But the fact that she could very well be in a fight for her life and he was probably going to stationed on the sweep teams and be on the other end of the city, no where near, no where close if they needed him.

The argument still raged. Until finally the room snapped. "ENOUGH!" Sophie roared like his training officer on Sateda the second Torren began screaming. She never could deal with a baby crying. They only cried for a reason, and the fact that they were angry and hurting was no reason to make the toddler upset. "Teyla and I will guard outside the safe room. Within easy reach in case they need us, but still defending our home. Now if that's alright with you two! We all have work to do and posts to get to!"

John jumped to attention, Teyla only smirked and shook her head at the younger mother. "Sophie is right. I suggest we get to our posts and prepare to defend our home."

"Right." John nodded, bending to kiss Torrens forehead. "You have us on comms." Teyla nodded in answer. "Be careful."

"We will not leave the hallway outside the safe room."

"There is a problem. The sensors in the Children's wing are still down. So you won't be able to use them to check on us." Sophie added as Romanov stood and made ready to go. "Comms will still work though. Romanov will be tracking in you in real time and feeding you any data he gets on perimeter breaches and playing havoc with anything they try to use to slow them down."

"Half of the nasty little upgrades we've had people working on." The normally reticent Russian laughed, a very wicked smile twisting at his lips.

Ronon waited as everyone began making their way out of the room. First the scientists, eager to get to the safe rooms in the case of some, Rodney hanging back weighing the need to guard the city power supply. John and Teyla next, together even though they weren't touching, ever watchful as they walked. Next went Luka and Torren, Luka's Zat raised as he checked each hallway, clearing every entrance like a trained professional.

Sophie unholstered her gun, her face calm and clear, moving to the door to bring up the rear, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her progress. "Ronon?"

Slowly, he drew her back. "I know I can't stop you, so I won't even try." Tipping her head back so she had no choice but to look in his eyes, he growled. "Be careful, okay?"

She smiled with her trademark wicked glint tinting her eyes. "Hey, this is me your talking to."Curling her fingers around his much larger, and that was truly saying something as she had large hands for a woman, fingers and pressed into his palm. "We'll be fine."

"Just in case." He murmured in that growling way that made her knees want to tremble, pulling her closer until there was barely a breath of space between. And then he kissed her. The barest of contacts only, but still it burned through them. Like nitrous and a single spark.

She thought of the Hindenburg, Vesuvius, Mount Helena. How destructive and devastating they had been. They didn't even begin to compare to what she was feeling. Pulling back only when her heart screamed that it, this small contact, simply wasn't enough and they had no time for anything else. "We better get going."

And with that, she swept from the room. But she never let go of his hand. Not until they reached the split of hallways. One that would take the men up to the armory. The other side that would take the women and children to depths unknown.

Ronon stopped her again, looking deep into her stormy determined eyes like he needed to say something. Sophie smiled with a silent nod. No sentiment needed. She knew, because it's what she wanted to say to him. "You be careful too. See you when all this is over."

"We aren't finished yet." He agreed and then they parted.

**Deep in the formerly flooded hallways.**

"Where are we going?" Teyla asked as Sophie over rode the lights. No one would see them down here. No one would know where they went.

Keeping Luka and Torren between them, Sophie and Teyla had made good time through the miles of hallways that ran like veins through the city. "There's a safe room inside the engineering bay. Triple reinforced in the Ancients day in case of blasts. But rather scarce on security. That we added. No one is getting to them."

"I thought we were going to the children's ward?"

Sophie grunted, shoving her shoulder against the sheet metal that hid the safe room entrance. "They're the only children in the city so far. It wasn't high on Woolsey's priority list. He didn't see the need in it yet. But the Engineering bay was a must. He didn't know the children's ward would be needed yet." She grunted again, throwing her weight against the metal and the door slid open easily. "I wasn't about to leave Torren and Luka unprotected."

The light within the room snapped on immediately. Glowing and warm, it was almost like the living quarters above. Complete with enough food to last a month of Sunday's, nothing had been overlooked. "Remember how to set the system, Luka?"

"Conception day is on." He answered repeating the instructions that she had told him over and over despite the fact that he would never be able to forget them. "Keep gun pointed at door. Watch video feed. Open only to the trusted. Watch Torren. Shoot anyone and anything else that moves."

Teyla checked every inch of the room with a trained eye. She was right. No one and nothing was getting into this room unless it came in the front door and those doors weren't moving. Not even the C4 that John was so proud of would move that door. "It seems secure. Are you sure they will be okay by themselves?"

"Oldest of cousins. Babysat before." Luka answered, tucking Torren into a blanket. "Be fine. Kick butt mommas."

"Shall we Teyla?"

"Indeed." The Athosian smiled grimly, copying the word that Ronon had stolen from Teal'c.

**Armory.**

"So you and Sophie? Huh?" One of the Marines asked, a lascivious smirk on his sharp looking face. "Tell me, is she a natural blond?"

Ronon rounded on the armed man, shoving him into the closest wall. "What did you say?" He snarled, death and blood dancing in his eyes.

"All I wanted to know was if the curtains match the drapes." The Marine said with what would have been fake innocence it he had been female.

Throwing himself between the two men as Evan and many others jumped in to pull the giant man back, John knew that he was tempting death. He had heard the rumors about the blond engineer from North Carolina. But having read her file, the file of her son, he knew exactly what was true and what wasn't. "Back away Collins!"

A few of the soldiers pulled him back a step. Most with equal murder in their eyes. Almost all of them had shifts with the engineering teams. Those who had started out believing the rumors quickly changed their minds. She worked just as hard as anyone on her team with a smile and never an undeserved cross word. She had earned their respect. With sweat and blood and tears by tears.

"But we all know she's a-" Collins was suddenly silenced by a right hook. He never saw who threw it, but that didn't stop it from being effective.

"Take him to the infirmary on your way to your posts." Sheppard ordered the guards that were posted at the infirmary. "Strip him of anything useful and cuff him to the bed. I don't want him to move an inch before we're done. And other than that hit, which I didn't see who threw, in fact I think he tripped, he better be undamaged when I figure out what to charge him with."

As soon as the crumpled man was drug away like a sack of refuse, Sheppard turned to the rest of the men. "Now we may not know exactly what we're up against, it's not the first time. But we know this city better than anyone alive. There isn't a passage we don't know or a scaffold we haven't climbed. We've fought of human invaders and wraith, replicators, viruses and even the sun. Use everything, every trick you know. Keep them alive if you can safely, I'd like to know who is trying to steal our home from us. Who has the stones to attempt it! But if you can't, make sure you're the one left standing. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir!" The men answered as one.

"Get to your posts!" He yelled at the security teams. Turning to Ronon, John shoved his shoulder, trying to pull the big man from staring in the direction the unconscious lump was pulled. "You get your head in the game! You're no good to her if you get yourself killed because you're angry about what some..." He struggled to come up with an accurate description. Hanging around Torren and Teyla had forced him to clean up his vocabulary, even if they didn't know what the words meant. "Asinine fool said!"

Visibly shaking with unreleased fury, Ronon looked away, pulling his gun from the holster that hung from his hip. It whined to life as his game face slid into place. He may not be able to kill the Marine, or even thrash him within an inch of his life. But John was right, he had work to do, and things to shoot.

**Hidden in the shadows on the San Francisco Docks around midnight.**

Silent as the night around them the group dressed in black gathered, ready to carry out their orders. Clothing rustled and metal of guns clinked as they shifted. They were wary. Knowing your opponent was the first step to warfare. And know them they did. At least on paper.

They were up against some of the best and most skilled people in any field on this or any planet. Nothing was overlooked. Again and again one of the tech specialists on the team went over the data coming from the city in the harbor. The very fact that they couldn't see the city at all was proof enough that it and it's inhabitants were not to be trifled with.

The tech nodded. They had waited long enough for the virus to do it's job. It was time to take control back.

**Atlantis. Hallways. **

Black as night, the hallways were quiet. Not even the leaves on the plants stirred in the darkness. No one moved. No one breathed. Scans of the city showed no life signs, no heat signatures, nothing to indicate anything was alive. And it was with that belief alone, that the teams landed.

One team on each pier. Each to work their way through, to secure the outlying piers so that they could not be divided and then move on. The plan was to converge on the tower as one, in overwhelming force. And they had the numbers to back it up.

"Where are all the bodies?" One invader whispered to his partner. The hushed and silent rooms making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. "There should be bodies everywhere, shouldn't there? The should have dropped where they stood."

In another pier shadows seemed to stalk the strangers in the darkness. Never becoming solid shapes. Moving in the non-existent breeze like phantoms that made one invader cross himself helplessly.

* * *

><p>What'd you think? Huh? Review please. My bunnies are running out of chocolate and I'm out of tea. Not sweet tea mind you. hehe! Feed the plot bunnies! Before they turn into zombie bunnies looking for chocolate brains! I'm not even sure they make those. I'm sure someone will now send me the link to buy brains made out of chocolate. Some people have waaaaaayyyyy too much time on their hands. So use those extra minutes and tap the little review button below and tell me what you think!<p>

P.S.: I'm going to do something you'll hate coming up in this episode. But there's a reason for it later on in the season! Don't kill me before I write it!

J.R.


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